Greens to force vote at Holyrood on Rosebank oil development

The Scottish Greens are to force a vote at Holyrood over whether the controversial Rosebank development should be given the green light.

It comes after John Swinney refused to clearly state his position on the oil field last week, saying only that any development should pass a “climate compatibility” test.

Pressed on the matter by Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer, the First Minister said that developments such as Rosebank – the UK’s largest undeveloped oil field – would have to be “compatible with our journey to net zero”.

However, he also stressed there would continue to be a need for oil and gas over the coming years, while the country transitions away from fossil fuels.

While Wednesday’s vote at Holyrood will be symbolic, it marks a chance for MSPs to make their views known ahead of the UK Government making its decision.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s debate, Scottish Green climate spokesperson Patrick Harvie said allowing Rosebank to proceed would be “catastrophic for our climate and our future”.

Former first ministers Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf both made their opposition to the development clear.

But with Swinney now in charge of the SNP, Harvie claimed the governing party has “hidden behind the idea of a so-called climate compatibility test”.

Scottish Green climate spokesperson Patrick Harvie wants Holyrood to vote against developing Rosebank. PA Media

The Green MSP said: “But this project is clearly incompatible with any test worthy of the name.”

Harvie continued: “There is no safe level of new drilling and no way to produce an extra 250 million tonnes of carbon emissions without doing severe damage to the world around us.

“When Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf took a stand against these climate-wrecking proposals, it sent a clear message to the world, yet, as the crisis worsens, this Scottish Government is in retreat.”

His comments come after Equinor, the Norwegian energy firm which owns the majority of the Rosebank development, recently resubmitted plans for its approval.

The field, which is about 80 miles north west of Shetland, is said to contain up to 300 million barrels of oil and some gas.

Development of the field was originally approved in 2023, but the Supreme Court later ruled that the emissions created from burning fossil fuels should be considered when granting permission for new drilling sites.

Equinor, which says it is “fully committed” to working with all relevant bodies to “advance the Rosebank project”, last month submitted a new application.

Harvie said: “Even Equinor’s own analysis shows that what they are proposing is straightforward climate vandalism, and I hope that our Parliament will stand against it.”

He added: “Clean, green, renewable energy is the best, safest and cheapest energy available.

“Scotland has a vast renewables potential, with the chance to create tens of thousands of high-quality jobs for the future and ending our dependence on volatile fossil fuel prices.”

Speaking last week, Swinney insisted: “The approach that the Scottish Government has taken consistently through the work of my term, the term of Humza Yousaf and also Nicola Sturgeon, was to insist upon the importance of a climate compatibility assessment about any development that comes forward.”

He stressed that meant that “any developments of oil and gas licensing have to be compatible with our journey to net zero”.

Swinney continued: “There will be, for some time, a requirement to utilise fossil fuels as we transition from our current situation to net zero.

“The question that has to be addressed, given the requirements of society in that respect, is, can any of that activity be compatible with our journey to net zero, and that’s the policy position of the Scottish Government.”