Shetland gas discovery is a total disaster for the climate
Responding to the announcement by Total of a major gas discovery off the coast of Shetland, Friends of the Earth Scotland Director Dr Richard Dixon commented,
“This exploitation of this new gas discovery off the coast of Shetland is incompatible with a country and a world that takes climate action seriously. The world cannot afford to burn even a fraction of the fossil fuels we already know about. Fossil fuel firms should not be searching for and exploiting new reserves, this summer of extreme weather has shown we are long past the time for business as usual.
“This gas should stay where is it. On the same day the Scottish Government is urged by its own climate advisers to do more to cut emissions, it needs to end further oil and gas exploration in the North Sea.
“The Scottish Government, along with big oil and gas companies, should be planning for a rapid and orderly transition away from fossil fuels in a way that is fair to the workers and communities currently dependent on these industries.”
“Communities, business and civil servants who have been striving to cut emissions across the country will be appalled that their work can be undone so easily. ”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Total announces major gas discovery off Shetland https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-45625287
- The new discovery is estimated at 1 trillion cubic feet of gas, equivalent to about 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, more than Scotland’s total annual emissions.
- UK Committee on Climate Change said Scottish Government action was needed to speed-up progress in agriculture and transport. https://www.theccc.org.uk/2018/09/24/scotland-still-outperforms-the-uk-in-reducing-emissions-but-transport-and-agriculture-remain-significant-challenges/
- Friends of the Earth Scotland is
* Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 75 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups.