[ad_1]
Climate change activists have blocked access to oil infrastructure in the North Sea in organized protests.
Blockades are in place at oil and gas terminals, refineries and ports in Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.
The Extinction Rebellion group has dropped a series of banners at locations it says are of “strategic importance” for plans to expand oil and gas production.
The group accuses the UK government of issuing dozens of new licenses for oil and gas development off Scotland’s northeast coast since late last year.
Protesters in the Shetland Islands demonstrate as part of a coordinated action across six countries against new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
P.A.
In Aberdeen, protesters held banners outside the Ithaca offices of oil and gas company Equinor that read “Defossilize the North Sea,” “Stop Rosebank” and “The Seas Know No Borders.”
Activists also unfurled banners in the port of Lerwick in the Shetland Islands, and at a location in the Murray Firth, XR Forres organized a performance by the Oil Slicks performance troupe.
A spokesperson for XR Scotland said: “While these countries are interconnected through the development of their shared waters, the impacts of these harmful initiatives are impacting the climate far beyond the northern corners of the world. “There is,” he said.
“North Sea countries are touting themselves as leaders in the green transition, while allowing global companies like Equinor, Shell and Total Energy to develop new oil and gas fields.”
Latest development status
Demonstrators display banners reading “Stop Rosebank”
P.A.
The spokesperson added: “Nordic dependence on oil and gas is not only causing an environmental crisis in our own backyard, it is also creating a global crisis without considering the people in the most affected regions. They are fueling the climate crisis and profiting from it.”
Meanwhile, XR Norway has sealed off the main entrance onshore to the Ravnes oil refinery, and more activists are said to be entering the secure area by boat. In Sweden, XR protesters blocked the road to Gothenburg’s oil port.
A spokesperson for XR Netherlands said: “The fossil industry and the government want us to believe that gas from the North Sea is clean, but clean gas is a dirty lie.”
An XR UK spokesperson said: “Going full steam ahead with oil and gas development in the New North Sea is a surefire path to the worst-case climate scenario.
“The UK, Norway and other North Sea countries have long avoided scrutiny on their oil drilling plans because their emissions are not included in national inventories. All countries should now align their drilling plans with the Paris Agreement. Thank you to everyone who is taking action today to protect our planet.”
Last week, a group of climate activists were found guilty of smashing the glass doors of JPMorgan’s European headquarters.
Five Extinction Rebellion activists used weapons including hammers and chisels to cause damage worth £350,000.
The five protesters were found guilty of causing criminal damage after a two-week trial. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 7th.
[ad_2]
Source link