Scotland

Campaigners take to Westminster Bridge to block Rosebank

Spread the love
Fossil Free London set off flares and dropped a 15-metre banner Image: Fossil Free London
Fossil Free London set off flares and dropped a 15-metre banner Image: Fossil Free London

ENVIORNMENTAL activists have demanded MPs block a “reckless and absurd” climate time-bomb.

MPs returning to Parliament today were welcomed by Fossil Free London, who set off flares and dropped a 15-metre banner from the nearby bridge demanding development of the Rosebank oil field be dropped.

The decision to develop the field has been repeatedly delayed but, if granted, the licence could see oil giant Equinor benefit to the tune of £3.7 billion in tax breaks as the Tory tax giveaway to big oil — costing £10.6bn so far — continues apace.

Fossil Free London’s Joanna Warrington said: “Rishi Sunak wants to give billions of pounds of public money to a giant oil company in exchange for the climate time-bomb, which will do absolutely nothing to lower our energy bills.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/campaigners-take-westminster-bridge-block-rosebank

First Minister Humza Yousaf ‘not convinced’ by Rosebank

In a conversation with the Daily Record, Scotland’s first minister said: “My starting position on Rosebank is I’m not convinced it should go ahead and I’ve said as much publicly, for a number of reasons.

“First and foremost, for example, the majority of Rosebank is oil as opposed to gas – that oil, of course, then gets exported.

“Any suggestion that helps us in terms of our domestic energy security, I think, doesn’t quite stack up.”

Humza Yousaf added: “Unlimited oil and gas extraction is not Scotland’s future,” when asked about the controversial Rosebank oil field.

…

Continue ReadingCampaigners take to Westminster Bridge to block Rosebank

Scottish leaders challenged over lack of urgency in tackling climate change

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/scottish-leaders-challenged-over-lack-of-urgency-in-tackling-climate-change

Climate protesters march through Edinburgh calling for an end to fossil fuel extraction, March 3, 2023

SCOTTISH leaders of all political parties have been challenged by a coalition of nature charities over their lack of urgency in tackling climate change.

Twenty-six groups have joined to write an open letter aimed at the leaders of the five parties represented at Holyrood — the SNP, Conservatives, Labour, Greens and Liberal Democrats.

…

In their letter they insisted that “without significant action” on the environment Scots could face “increasing disruption to our lives and face escalating impacts on food production and human health.”

The intervention comes as the organisations told how “extreme heat, dangerously warm seas, and out of control wildfires are causing havoc around the world.”

Amid these “unprecedented extreme global weather events,” the groups — who have more than 500,000 supporters between them — said they were “deeply concerned that our political leaders are not responding to the intertwined nature and climate crises with the urgency required.”

They added: “The status quo is not sustainable. Yet we have seen key environmental commitments shelved or delayed, and increasing signals that differing views on environmental policy will be exploited for electoral purposes or treated as disposable.”

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/scottish-leaders-challenged-over-lack-of-urgency-in-tackling-climate-change

Continue ReadingScottish leaders challenged over lack of urgency in tackling climate change

Scotland generates record-breaking renewable energy

Spread the love
Shetland’s biggest Wind Turbine Image © Copyright Andy Waddington and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

https://energydigital.com/articles/scotland-generates-record-breaking-renew able-energy

… According to official data, Scotland broke previous records by generating 35.3TWh of renewable electricity in 2022, marking a 28.1% increase from 2021 and 9.8% from 2020. This amount of electricity could power all households in Scotland for over three years. The fourth quarter of 2022 saw the largest increase in renewable electricity generation in Scotland’s history, rising by 14%.

Between September and December 2022, the renewable electricity capacity grew from 13.6GW to 13.8GW. In addition, Scotland’s net electricity exports increased by 17% to 18.7TWh in 2022, with a wholesale market value of approximately £4 billion.

Wind energy was the primary contributor to Scotland’s renewable electricity generation in 2022, accounting for 27.5TWh. Of this amount, 5.8TWh came from offshore wind, while 21.8TWh was generated from onshore wind.

…

https://energydigital.com/articles/scotland-generates-record-breaking-renewable-energy

Continue ReadingScotland generates record-breaking renewable energy

Scottish Greens call on Westminster to ‘wake up to the reality of the climate crisis’

Spread the love

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/scottish-greens-call-on-westminster-to-wake-up-to-the-reality-of-the-climate-crisis

Image: Chris LeBoutillier / Creative Commons

THE Scottish Greens called on Westminster today to “wake up to the reality of the climate crisis” and change course on fossil fuels instead of “dragging us towards environmental disaster.”

The challenge followed publication of the Scottish government’s draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition document, which calls for a halt to new oil and gas exploration licences and outlines plans for Scotland to lead a transition to renewables.

The strategy includes ideas to increase the country’s renewable electricity generation capacity by 20 gigawatts (GW) over the next seven years, equivalent to nearly 50 per cent of current demand, the Scottish Greens said.

…

“Even as the world burns, the UK government has committed to approving 100 new oil and gas exploration licences and is opening the first new coalmine for 30 years.

…

https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/scottish-greens-call-on-westminster-to-wake-up-to-the-reality-of-the-climate-crisis

Continue ReadingScottish Greens call on Westminster to ‘wake up to the reality of the climate crisis’

Just Stop Oil news 3 May 2022

Spread the love

Just Stop Oil protested at the Nustar Clydebank fuel depot near Glasgow, Scotland today.

Just Stop Oil blockades terminal in Glasgow in first Scottish action

Shortly before sunrise on Tuesday, about 40 supporters of the civil resistance campaign against fossil fuel production blocked the entrance to the Nustar Clydebank terminal, locking themselves together and climbing on tankers.

Fourteen more activists made their way inside, with three scaling a storage silo and the rest climbing into pipework distributing fuel around the site, halting operations.

…

Just Stop Oil, which is calling for the government to promise a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects, said the action was prompted by plans for new oil and gas fields in the North Sea, off Scotland’s coast.

…

Protesters arrested at oil terminal climate protest, Police Scotland say

…

Chief Superintendent Lynn Ratcliff said on Tuesday evening protesters were asked to leave and that a “number of people who decided not to cooperate have subsequently been arrested”.

…

Just Stop Oil protests: Four charged over M25 services damage

Four people have been charged following climate protests at two motorway service stations on the M25 in Surrey.

On Thursday Just Stop Oil said 35 of its supporters blocked petrol stations at Cobham and Clacket Lane services.

…

The two men and two women have been charged with causing criminal damage of more than £5,000. A further four people have been released under police bail.

An additional 27 people are still under investigation, Surrey Police said.

…

Continue ReadingJust Stop Oil news 3 May 2022