Sturgeon is to be praised for reassessing Cambo oilfield in light of climate report
Nicola Sturgeon: a principled rethink.
It isn’t often one has an opportunity to praise a politician but this is one such event.
Earlier this week, This Writer criticised Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon because she failed to demand that permission for the planned new Cambo oilfield west of the Shetlands should be withdrawn in the light of the UN’s report on climate change.
“Nicola Sturgeon just met a climate change protester and said to her face that she would not oppose a new oilfield in the North Sea,” I wrote.
“She’s got issues (to consider). Truer words were never spoken – in defence of the indefensible.”
Well, it seems she has reconsidered those issues, changed her mind, and called for Boris Johnson’s mob to cancel permission for the new, polluting oilfield.
In her letter, Ms Sturgeon asked Boris Johnson to commit to “significantly enhancing the climate conditionality” associated with offshore oil and gas production.
She added: “I am also asking that the UK government agrees to reassess licences already issued but where field development has not yet commenced. That would include the proposed Cambo development.
“Such licences, some of them issued many years ago, should be reassessed in light of the severity of the climate emergency we now face, and against a compatibility checkpoint that is fully aligned with our climate change targets and obligations.”
Sturgeon’s change of heart only serves to highlight the prime minister’s hypocrisy.
Having said that we should “consign coal to history” he has proved unwilling to do the same to oil.
Contracts should not be “ripped up”, he said – but that is precisely what is necessary.
And his words are exactly as I predicted politicians would react in the fact of opposition from big business.
Referring to Johnson’s Tory colleague Alok Sharma, who is hosting the COP-26 climate change summit later this year, I wrote:
“He’ll merrily tell all the other politicians that they must switch to green energy immediately; they’ll say, “Oh, but we’ve got this multi-billion [name the money unit of your choice] project on the go, it’s a huge investment that will create jobs for the plebs and MASSIVE PROFITS for us,” and he’ll say: “Oh, that’s all right then, You go ahead.”
“See if I’m right.”
Well, it didn’t take very long at all before I was proved right, did it?
And now it is important to remember that Johnson’s comment is not the last word on this subject.
He is a weakling who buckles in the face of strong public opinion.
So all we have to do is show him that his decision is unpopular and he should change it. He will.
Of course, for all I know, you might agree with him, and want us to go on burning fossil fuels. The lack of popularity attracted by my previous articles on this subject suggests that this may be the case.
All I can say – if that’s your attitude – is, I hope you don’t live on particularly low land.
If you do, then I hope you’re a strong swimmer.
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Little fascist dictator duck johnson has already violated numerous agreements when it has suited his mindset so he can easily rescind the licence for proposed new Cambo oilfield west of the Shetlands but that would mean his thieving fascist buddies not increasing their huge bloated profits!
Nicola Starmer has shown she is willing to change her mind when evidence is provided that this oilfield will have severe consequences for us peasants! But little fascist dictator duck johnson only sees the £ sign and how much money he can earn by giving his greedy fascist bros whatever they want!
That fake COP-26 climate change summit is just more fascist tory propaganda! Nothing will change and we peasants will be the ones to suffer not the fascist tory boys who will ensure their properties and livelihoods are safe!