Clarity on Government’s stance on Rosebank ‘nowhere to be seen’, say Greens

The Scottish Government has refused to back or oppose the controversial Rosebank oil field.

The decision to allow the development – the largest undeveloped field in the UK – was overturned following a court challenge, with the UK Government yet to make a final decision on whether to allow it to go ahead.

While former first minsters Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon had been publicly opposed to the development, John Swinney has been reticent to stake a position, saying only that new developments must meet climate compatibility tests.

The Scottish Greens used their opposition debating time on Wednesday to force a vote on the issue, but the Government tabled an amendment to the motion, inserting calls for the climate tests on new developments.

The Government amendment passed by 62 votes to 36 with 19 abstentions.

Green environment spokesman and former co-leader Patrick Harvie said: “Today, that climate clarity from the Scottish Government is nowhere to be seen.

“Today’s First Minister cannot take a clear position, the draft climate change plan sidesteps the issue, and the Government’s energy strategy seems to have disappeared completely.

“The Scottish Greens can and will make the case explicitly that the Scottish Government must oppose the Rosebank plan unequivocally.

“There can be no climate compatibility test worth of the name that gives the go ahead to this immensely destructive project.”

Speaking for the Government, business minister Richard Lochhead said the future of oil and gas in the North Sea is of vital importance for Scotland’s economy, “our society and, of course, central to the energy transition”.

He added: “The Government’s amendment reflects the importance of allowing an evidence-led, case by case approach be properly followed to its conclusion.

“In terms of new developments, the Scottish Government thinks it’s incredibly important that the guiding principles outlined in our amendment today are followed and we will continue to press for that.”

Responding to the vote, Friends of the Earth Scotland oil and gas campaigns manager, Rosie Hampton, said: “Any commitment to climate action is a sham if MSPs are not willing to oppose new oil drilling.

“Burning oil and gas is the key driver of the extreme weather that is killing people and destroying communities from Jamaica to the Philippines.”