Grangemouth oil refinery exec skewers SNP and Tories over lack of action on transition from fossil fuels
The most telling point made by a representative of Grangemouth refinery owner Petroineos to MSPs yesterday was that planning for a “smooth transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a non-fossil fuel-based economy” at the site should have started five years ago. Instead, the refinery is set to close next year.
Iain Hardie, the firm’s head of legal and external affairs, told a Holyrood committee that they had approached the Scottish and UK governments in 2019 to talk about setting such an effort in motion but “we didn’t move on”.
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Hide AdThe result is the looming prospect of mass redundancies, an economic ‘cliff-edge’ that might have been avoided. In 2019, both the Conservatives and SNP – when not distracted by Brexit or independence – talked a good game about the transition to clean energy and tackling climate change. The harsh reality for oil and gas workers is now on display for all to see, while both the SNP and the Tories watered down climate targets as it became clear they would not be met.
Hardie said the firm’s “challenges” were partly driven by the planned ban on new-build petrol and diesel cars from 2035, first introduced with a 2030 target under Boris Johnson, then pushed back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak. Whether this is too soon or too late, the fact remains that, if the UK is to become a net-zero carbon economy, a ban is coming.
Overall, the picture is one of politicians making promises they couldn’t keep, while shirking hard choices and the hard work necessary to deal with their consequences. Unless things change – and Labour’s plans for publicly owned firm GB Energy may offer some hope – Grangemouth’s fate may presage a much bigger collapse that would affect all of Scotland, particularly the North East.
However, this is not just a government problem. Oil companies, for the sake of their staff and shareholders, should be doing far more to secure their futures in a net-zero world.
Climate change is real. The future we should have planned for sooner is upon us. Time to wake from our dwam of indecision, delay and denial.
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