Proposed Rosebank Oil Field Met With "Wave of Resistance"
By Clive Davies
Campaigners took to beaches across the UK to voice disapproval over Norwegian state-owned energy company Equinor’s plans to build on what is believed to be the UK’s largest undeveloped oil and gas field.
Energy Secretary Grant Shapps is understood to be on the verge on making a decision on whether or not to approve the plans.
Protestors in Aberdeen orchestrated a paddle event during which opposing messages were written in the sand. They also organized a Q&A session for those anxious about the job implications of a transition away from fossil fuels. Volunteers were encouraged to take part in a beach clean-up during which over 50kg of refuse was collected.
Lee Matthews, Lead Organiser for the Aberdeen protests said:
“This is a campaign that’s happening across the UK today, getting the message across that we can’t be having the Rosebank oil field, it’s simply unacceptable.”
“[Rosebank] will produce more emissions than the 28 lowest producing countries combined, it’s the largest untapped oil field in the North Sea, and the implications of extracting and using that oil is horrendous in the context of this global issue. Everyone is affected by this, people in the global south, in countries like Pakistan where they’ve got terrible floods, people losing their homes, losing their lives. In countries like the UK where last summer we had heatwaves where people died, we’re not unaffected by this and it will only get worse.
“We need to be more responsible with how we approach oil now, we obviously can’t immediately turn off the taps tomorrow but we need to stop extracting more. We need to make use of what we have in reserve to give us that space to make a transition to renewables.”
“And it’s important we do that in a way that is just and fair to those of us who work in the oil industry, because at the end of the day the oil industry doesn’t serve local communities, it doesn’t serve the people that are doing the work on the ground, who’s working conditions are horrendous, who’s labour is being exploited.”
“We need to radically rethink how we approach this issue and we need to be listening to those people who are involved in the oil industry so we can move away from it in a way that works for them and makes sure they’re not cast aside like the coal miners were back in the day.”
