Protesters ignite flares on Westminster Bridge in response to the Rosebank oil field.
Eco-protesters light flares on Westminster Bridge demanding a stop to Rosebank oil field
- Today in London, there was a protest regarding the Rosebank oil field located in Scotland.
During peak traffic hours, activists advocating for a gas and oil-free planet have taken over Westminster Bridge. They have ignited flares and unveiled a banner as a means of expressing their cause.
Protesters Fossil Free London are calling for a stop of the text is necessary.Rosebank oil field.
The stunt was timed to coincide with MPs’ return to Parliament after their summer recess.
Joanna Warrington, a campaigner, expressed her concern about Rishi Sunak’s proposal to provide a substantial amount of public funds to a major oil corporation in return for an environmental threat. This action will not contribute to reducing our energy expenses and is deemed irresponsible and illogical.
‘People want clean, cheap renewable energy, but the government is on autopilot, handing money to their oily chums. Yet again, they are prioritising fossil fuel industry profits over a future safe from climate breakdown. We need to stop Rosebank and drive oily money out of our politics.’
Despite activist calls, the current Government of First Minister Humza Yousaf has so far not opposed the much larger Rosebank oil field in the North Sea.
The protesters – whose identities are not known – are calling for a stop of the further development of the Rosebank oil field
Mr Gray acknowledged that oil and gas will continue to play a significant role in generating substantial revenues for the foreseeable future.
However, we desire to observe more rigorous assessments of climate compatibility in order to guarantee that oil and gas remains consistent with our net-zero goals.
The minister added that ‘unlimited extraction’, which he claims would be the result of the 100 new oil and gas licences announced last month by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is not compatible with Scotland’s climate objectives.
However, he stated: ‘We should not consider the early closure of the oil and gas industry, as the Labour Party seems to be proposing.
‘We need to make sure that we have an accelerated just transition that involves those energy companies, their investment potential, but also their skilled workforce to make sure that we fully realise the opportunities both from an economic and a net-zero perspective from the renewables sector.’
Surfers Against Sewage in Aberdeen took part in the Wave of Resistance protest in June also against Rosebank
When asked about his stance on Rosebank, Mr. Gray stated that it is not a decision he will be responsible for making, as those matters fall under the jurisdiction of Westminster.
When asked about it, he further stated: ‘I desire to have stricter assessments for projects such as Rosebank and others to guarantee their alignment with our net-zero climate goals.
‘We haven’t seen that from the UK Government.’
The Scottish Government has consistently expressed its commitment to achieving a ‘just transition’ away from oil and gas. However, Mr. Gray was unable to provide a timeline for when the revenue generated from renewable sources would equal the £9.4 billion value that fossil fuels contribute to Scotland’s economy. He suggested that Scottish ministers are facing obstacles that hinder their progress in this regard.
He stated that it is important to collaborate with the UK Government in order to make them aware of the potential benefits, both environmentally and economically, of investing in the renewables sector as they do in the nuclear sector, which is significant.
