Environmental campaigners have staged a “fossil fuels are scary” Halloween themed demonstration at the First Minister’s residence in Edinburgh today.
They said there were “no treats for John Swinney” and he was trying to “trick” people by saying his Government was prioritizing action on climate change while approving new fossil fuel projects.
Climate groups gathered outside Bute House in central Edinburgh to protest the Scottish Government decision this week to approve the building of a new gas power station at Peterhead which will burn fossil gas for the next 30 years.
The decision comes shortly after the UK Energy Secretary gave the green light to drilling gas from the Jackdaw field, despite admitting it will not reduce energy bills. The price of oil and gas is set by international energy markets so these decisions will leave UK households will be left at the mercy of fossil fuel companies for decades to come.
Burning of fossil fuels is the key driver of the extreme weather people are facing, such as the recent storms, record heat this summer and devastating events like the deadly floods in Nepal. Protestors said they were “terrified” about the impact of these decisions on the lives.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Kate Whitaker commented:“Fossil fuels are scary because of the harm they are already causing to millions of people. When politicians make disastrous decisions to approve new oil or gas, people get even more terrified about our collective future.
“We are at the First Minister’s residence but he is not getting any treats this year. His Government has chosen to put more people in more danger from extreme weather and is tricking people by trying to claim that new gas burning is somehow compatible with a safe energy future.”
“Giving the go ahead for a new fossil fuelled power plant at Peterhead is a catastrophic failure from the Scottish Government to protect people from both climate breakdown and the increasing burden of household energy bills.
“Politicians could instead help allay our fears by focusing on climate solutions that improve lives such as warmer homes, reliable bus services and creating green jobs.”