Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 06 December 2022
06 Dec 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
COP27 Outcomes
The member’s intervention rather contradicts the quotes that I gave earlier. However, the point is that we all went to see a just transition, because the cost to the up to 100,000 workers in or connected with the oil and gas industry, around 70,000 of whom are located in Scotland, would be considerable if we were to stop production right now. We all agree that there needs to be a just transition, as is mentioned in the Labour amendment, but that requires us to work with our North Sea industries and not against them.
Without the following—BP putting around £12 billion by 2030 into offshore wind, hydrogen, EV charge points and carbon capture; TotalEnergies ploughing more than half its research and development budget into pioneering new energies and reducing environmental footprint; Shell investing between £15 billion and £20 billion into low and zero-carbon products and services; and Neptune Energy achieving gold status under the UN environmental programme for its plans to reduce methane emissions—that transition simply will not happen.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-07093, in the name of Màiri McAllan, on outcomes from the 27th United Nations climate change conference o...
The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport (Michael Matheson)
SNP
Today’s debate addresses one of the most important challenges facing not only Scotland but the international community. The latest report from the Intergover...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
When I speak to businesses, they say that the public support from Governments—both Scotland’s Governments—is difficult to access. What can the Scottish Gover...
Michael Matheson
SNP
That depends on the type of technology and the area in which those companies are working. For example, support with inward investment opportunities could com...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Michael Matheson
SNP
I ask the member to allow me to make a little more progress first. What did COP27 achieve? It has seen the clearest acknowledgement to date that the people ...
Monica Lennon
Lab
I am grateful to the cabinet secretary, because he is making some very important points. I want to bring the debate back to the topic of the just transition...
Michael Matheson
SNP
Monica Lennon has raised an important point. We have set out clearly our position that the continued and unabated extraction of fossil fuels is not compatibl...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Michael Matheson
SNP
I will give way to Liam Kerr, although I am keen to finish within the timescale.
Liam Kerr
Con
I am genuinely grateful to the cabinet secretary. At the weekend, I read that the possible future Scottish National Party leader in Westminster, Stephen Flyn...
Michael Matheson
SNP
I have not seen such a quote from Stephen Flynn. If he said that, he is entitled to his view. However, I am sure that Liam Kerr is wise enough to recognise t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I invite Liam Kerr to speak to and move amendment S6M-07093.2. 14:40
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
To pick up from where the cabinet secretary left off, there is no doubt that COP27 did not have the groundbreaking commitments of COP26, but that is not to s...
Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
On the member’s point about the production of renewable energy, by the same token, it would be very difficult and would take us considerable time to increase...
Liam Kerr
Con
The member’s intervention rather contradicts the quotes that I gave earlier. However, the point is that we all went to see a just transition, because the cos...
Monica Lennon
Lab
I know that Liam Kerr takes the climate emergency very seriously, but we must make real the aspiration for a just transition. If the Rosebank oilfield goes a...
Liam Kerr
Con
The member is right—I do take the climate emergency very seriously indeed, as I know does she, which is why she will be interested to know that we must set R...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Liam Kerr
Con
Will I have time at the end, Presiding Officer?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You will have a wee bit of time.
Liam Kerr
Con
In that case, I will take the intervention if the member is very quick.
Gillian Martin
SNP
One of the issues that I have with the debate about oil and gas is that we talk about how we can lower the emissions that are involved in producing and extra...
Liam Kerr
Con
That is a fair and well-made point, and it relates to how we present data and put information into the public realm, which is key. The First Minister needs t...
Colin Smyth (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Despite COP27 having taken some modest steps forward on loss and damage support for countries that are vulnerable to climate change, we did not see the trans...
Brian Whittle
Con
Does Mr Smyth agree with me that the drag on producing electric vehicle charging points is preventing us from moving to the use of such vehicles?
Colin Smyth
Lab
I absolutely agree with that. Recently, the BBC’s “Dispatches” programme showed that a quarter of our existing charging points do not work. There is no incen...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I am pleased to speak for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in this important debate, and I thank Màiri McAllan and the Scottish Government for securing time fo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We move to the open debate.
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Can you clarify whether we are able to intervene on remote speakers and how we do so?