Scottish Greens urge Burnham to reject North Sea oil projects amid climate concerns

The Scottish Greens have called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to resist external pressure and refuse approval for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas developments. Mark Ruskell MSP, the party’s climate spokesperson, argued that granting consent for these projects would undermine Labour’s climate commitments and fail to safeguard the energy workforce. The intervention follows a period of significant wildfires in Scotland, which Ruskell linked directly to the impacts of climate breakdown caused by fossil fuel extraction.

Ruskell stated that Burnham must reject the proposals rather than abandon environmental promises to appease US President Donald Trump. This comes after reports that Burnham told Trump he was being pragmatic regarding North Sea exploration, with the US president claiming the Prime Minister intended to open up the region further. Ruskell described it as astonishing that Burnham is considering approving new drilling while discussing such expansions, particularly in light of the devastating fires in the Cairngorms. He emphasised that these events demonstrate the severe impact climate change is already having on communities, wildlife and emergency services across Scotland.

The Scottish Greens reiterated Labour’s 2024 election pledge that new oil and gas fields would not reduce household bills or enhance energy security, but would instead exacerbate the climate crisis. Ruskell argued that these facts remain unchanged despite the change in government or any desire to accommodate climate sceptics. He also challenged the notion that approving Rosebank and Jackdaw would protect jobs, warning that 18,000 offshore energy positions could be lost by 2035. Citing BP’s recent decision to sell its North Sea operations as evidence of declining financial viability, Ruskell suggested that the industry is already contracting after more than six decades of activity.

Criticism was also directed at the Scottish National Party and First Minister John Swinney for urging Burnham to end the windfall tax and approve the projects. Ruskell dismissed calls for tax cuts for major oil companies as an uncredible strategy to support workers during the cost-of-living crisis. Instead, he urged the Scottish Government to utilise its existing powers to protect workers for future generations. This political debate occurs against a backdrop of declining North Sea revenues, with a Scottish government report indicating that payments into the public purse have fallen by over £400 million year-on-year. The report attributed this decline primarily to lower oil and gas prices, although windfall tax contributions remained relatively stable.