North Sea report is ‘more of the same’ from the oil lobby

Environmental campaigners have commented on the North Sea Transition Taskforce Report from the British Chamber of Commerce calling for tax cuts for oil companies.

Friends of the Earth Scotland just transition campaigner Rosie Hampton commented,

“This report is just more of the same from the oil industry and their lobby groups. Greedy oil companies have extracted billions in profits from the North Sea while engaging in a deliberate strategy of climate delay and denial.

“This industry shows its true colours by headlining a report that was supposed to be about the energy transition with yet another demand to cut their taxes.

“The report does helpfully acknowledge that carbon capture is neither proven or economically viable, whilst demanding unending Government support for the technology.

“The authors present a false choice between climate-wrecking fossil fuels either from the North Sea or from Qatar, when the only rational choice is a rapid switch to power our lives with renewables. The best way to ensure lower bills, energy security and grow good long-term jobs and manufacturing in Scotland, is for both Governments to decisively drive a rapid and fair transition away from privately controlled fossil fuels to publicly-owned renewable energy.

“The oil industry has dictated and undermined the terms of the energy transition for too long. Politicians should instead be talking to the workers and the communities about what their needs are from the move away from oil and gas. This means paid retraining and financial support for those who need it, alongside investing in wind manufacturing to create good, local jobs that serve the energy needs of our communities – not the profits of industry bosses.