Richard Burgon

Governments are defined by their first few months in office. Whatever else they do on the environment, getting Rosebank wrong will shape the green credentials of this Government for years to come. They cannot afford to get this wrong. Climate change is not just another problem; it is the stage on which the future of humanity will be played out. We are talking about a threat to billions of people, devastated food systems, whole cities becoming uninhabitable, a health emergency and a security nightmare. We are at this danger point because of decades of actions by fossil fuel giants; they knew the dangers of climate change that they were causing and they covered up the truth, all to keep the profits flowing. They continue to spread disinformation, putting profits before all else. Let us be clear: Rosebank is not compatible with our climate targets—it is dangerous to pretend otherwise. Rosebank will not lower bills. Its oil will be sold on the international market by a private company at market prices, making it billions. People’s bills are higher because we are hooked on oil and gas. Renewables are the cheaper way to break that dependency. The International Energy Agency says that Rosebank will do very little for energy security, and OBR figures show that Rosebank will do almost nothing for tax revenues. Finally, Rosebank is a clear international law risk, because it will aid the flow of profits to a company that is operating in illegal Israeli settlements. For so many reasons, the Government must not approve Rosebank.