THE UK Government is engaging in “greenwashing to the extreme” over oil and gas production in the north sea, an MSP has said.
The UK Government’s consultation on a “climate compatibility checkpoint” for projects in the UK Continental Shelf is due to close tomorrow, the same day the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will release its latest report.
In August last year, the UN Secretary General warned of a “code red for humanity” following a previous report by the UN body, and said that it should sound a “death knell for coal and fossil fuels”. It is likely that the latest iteration of the report will echo similar calls.
READ MORE: Scottish Energy Forum dinner in Edinburgh disrupted by climate campaigners
Campaigners have said that “no credible test” would allow for the further production or exploration of oil and gas in the North Sea, while the consultation sets out a number of possible tests, ranging from greenhouse gas emissions being measured against an international benchmark, to the progress of the sector in developing Carbon Capture Utilisation Storage (CCUS) and hydrogen technologies.
However, Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, pictured far right, has said that the UK Government is “all talk” and that they have “no interest in climate mitigation”.
It comes as the Abigail oil field off the east coast of Scotland was quietly given the go-ahead in January – just weeks after the Cambo oil field off the north-west coast of Shetland was halted, after fierce opposition from campaigners and the intense spotlight of COP26.
Meanwhile, the UK Committee on Climate Change (UKCCC) said earlier last week that they would support a tighter limit on production of oil and gas “with stringent tests and a presumption against exploration”.
Speaking to the Sunday National, Chapman said that the oil and gas industry had the UK Government “wrapped round their little fingers”.
READ MORE: Andrew Bowie slammed for cosying up to firm behind Cambo oil field
She said: “I think this is greenwashing to the extreme, the idea that oil and gas companies are actually interested in tackling the climate crisis is ridiculous, it’s clear that they aren’t, they literally don’t care.”
The Greens MSP added that the consultation’s focus on CCUS and hydrogen technologies as one of the possible climate tests for fossil fuel producers will simply allow firms to “keep drilling”.
She added: “It’s not about an energy transition or transforming our energy economy, it’s just about saying ‘give us more money for this, and we’ll keep doing what we’re doing’.
“It’s not a techno fix, it’s a technology that is not proven, these technologies haven’t been shown to work, and by investing in them you are crowding out investment and support for renewables.
“We know renewables work – this is where we need to put the money, so any penny spent on CCUS is a penny not being spent on something that we know works,” she added.
The introduction to the 29-page consultation document specifically states that they are looking for views from the “UK oil and gas industry and the investment community” and non-governmental organisations. There is no mention of renewables, a just transition, or the phasing out of fossil fuels. Chapman said that was proof the UK has no interest in climate mitigation. She added: “They have no interest in shifting towards a future that isn’t reliant on burning fossil fuels. All they are interested in is their immediate bottom line. The tragedy in all of this is the more they rely on this one single-track blinkered line, in the long term, we’re going to see more volatility in the sector, we’ll see more job losses and oil and gas prices rocket even more.”
Both Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth (FoE) Scotland told the Sunday National that any climate compatibility test which allows for any more production or exploration for oil and gas in the North Sea is not “credible”.
FoE Scotland Just Transition campaigner Ryan Morrison (above) said that the UK Government must “finally listen to science” and back away from plans to award more oil and gas licenses.
He added: “Instead of continuing with the charade, the UK Government must begin a managed phasing-out of existing fields, while ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities.”
A BEIS spokesperson said: “There will continue to be ongoing demand for oil and gas over the coming years as we transition to cleaner, more secure forms of energy. As the Business Secretary has said, turning off our domestic source of gas overnight would put energy security, British jobs and industries at risk.”
The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
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