Campaigners have described the Scottish Government's position on oil and gas as "incoherent" after First Minister John Swinney told MSPs on Thursday that his administration opposed the UK Government's plans to ban all new exploration in the North Sea.
Accusations of a U-turn
Mr Swinney faced accusations of a "U-turn" on the issue, given that Nicola Sturgeon's administration had previously supported a presumption against new oil and gas. That position has softened over the past year.
Uplift's response
In a statement on Friday, Dr Rosie Hampton, principal policy adviser at anti-fossil fuel campaigners Uplift, said: "The First Minister's response is incoherent."
"New licensing will do nothing meaningful for Scotland's energy security or the industry's future," she added. "After 50 years of drilling, the North Sea is an ageing basin in decline, with industry-supported jobs more than halving in the past decade."
Dr Hampton continued: "Even the oil and gas lobby accepts that the ban on new exploration licences is right. Worse, this debate distracts from Scotland's real energy problems. It won't cut a penny from people's bills, which is what's worrying people, while our continued reliance on fossil fuels is driving the wildfires, flooding and extreme weather we're increasingly experiencing."
She concluded: "The SNP's response to both crises is wholly inadequate. The Scottish Government must urgently deliver a coherent transition plan – that means public investing in homegrown renewables, creating secure, long-term jobs and powering Scotland's future – not siding with oil profiteers like some tartan Trump."
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
