Hundreds of climate activists to hold five day protest in Aberdeen
Climate Camp Scotland's taking action in response to approval for the Cambo and Jackdaw developments
Hundreds of campaigners will stage a five day protest in Aberdeen later this month, following approval for the Cambo and Jackdaw developments in the North Sea.
Climate Camp Scotland's latest event also comes as Aberdeenshire Council prepares to decide if a new gas-fired power station should be built at Peterhead.
Organisers said the camp will end with a "rally and mass action", targeting major polluters in the city.
It is set to take place from July 28th - August 5th.
Benji Brown, of Climate Camp Scotland, said:
"As Britain bakes under record temperatures and wildfires scorch Europe, the UK Government is encouraging oil companies to drill every last drop from the North Sea."
He added:
"We need to tackle the climate and cost-of-living crisis through a switch to cheap and abundant renewables, ensuring the needs of communities and workers are prioritised over corporate profits."
Activists said they wanted the UK Government to cancel plans for new oil and gas fields, and for the the local authority to reject the new gas-fired power station.
They have also called on the Scottish Government to ensure communities and workers have a greater say over the Just Transition Fund in the region.
The protest camp will also be in support of St Fittick's Park, which campaigners said was the only remaining green space in Torry, and would be lost to industrial development as part of the development of an energy transition zone.
Quan Nguyen, also of Climate Camp Scotland, said:
"Neither the UK nor the Scottish government have a plan to phase out oil and gas at all, never mind in a way that protects workers and communities currently depending on the industry.
"Instead, Aberdeen City Council partners with climate criminals like BP for their net-zero strategy, and threatens to take away St Fittick's Park from the Torry community to hand it to the fossil fuel industry."
Last year, more than 150 people attended a protest camp outside a refinery in Fife, where they demanded it be shut down.
This year, the camp is set to run from July 28 to August 1, organisers said, and will include climate activists, trade unionists, and community campaigners.