Labour must take the climate crisis seriously – and stop Rosebank!

Photo by Alisdare Hickson flickr.com/photos/alisdare/

A statement from Labour Party members and members of unions affiliated to the Labour Party. If you are a Labour member or affiliated trade unionist, please add your name (all signatories personal capacity unless indicated). And please forward widely!

For more on Rosebank, see stopcambo.org.uk 

(See also this open letter to the party initiated by Green New Deal Rising. This statement on fossil fuels from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs section of civil service trade union PCS. And this one from aviation workers’ organisation Safe Landing.)

We, Labour Party members and members of Labour-affiliated trade unions, condemn the Tories’ shameful decision to approve development of the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, and call for Labour to commit to stopping it – while setting out much stronger plans for a worker-led just transition away from fossil fuels.

Burning Rosebank’s oil and gas will generate more CO2 than the combined emissions of 28 low-income countries, home to 700 million people.

Meanwhile the Treasury is gifting licensee Equinor – 2022 profits £62 billion – a tax break of £3.75 billion. With Rosebank’s oil mostly set to be sold on the open market, the policy will not even reduce bills or increase UK “energy security”, as the government claims.

Labour’s commitment to end the issuing of licenses for fossil fuel projects should be defended from attempts to water it down. But, as the world burns, it is simply not good enough.

Committing to honouring licenses the Tories grant means effectively encouraging them to commit more acts of climate vandalism before the election.

As the climate crisis accelerates all around us, with the poorest people and the poorest parts of the world bearing the brunt, Labour must be better and bolder. We call on the party to commit to stopping Rosebank and other new fossil licenses projects licensed by the Tories, and start to set out strong plans for a worker-led just transition.

This statement was initiated by a group of Labour members and affiliated trade unionists. You can opt here to stay in touch you consent to being contacted about campaigning, on this issue specifically. You can remove yourself at any time by following instructions we will include in communications. We will hold your data securely and not share it with third parties.