Portsmouth constituents have sent a clear message to their MP Stephen Morgan demanding urgent action to help bring our energy bills down and increase energy security for our communities.
The UK government is set to make a decision to approve or reject Rosebank – the largest undeveloped oil field in the UK – very soon and this demonstration coincided with the last day of the public consultation regarding the oil field. The action comes following weeks of extreme heat, which has already caused over 3000 excess deaths across the UK and hundreds of devastating wildfires, including four that are currently burning in Hampshire. It also follows the announcement of an Energy Independence Bill, which residents argue should provide the perfect opportunity for the UK to embrace renewable energy and end new fossil fuel extraction.
In a display of community concern, local residents delivered a letter and over two dozen post cards to Morgan’s constituency office asking that he oppose the development of the Rosebank oil field. Residents carried signs noting that ‘Rosebank will not improve UK energy security’ – an allusion to the fact that the field is 90% oil, most of which is for export – and ‘Andy Don’t Burn Our Futures’, in reference to the climate change that drilling for new oil and gas will accelerate. Some signs also pointed out the connection between the Rosebank oil field, Ithaca Energy who own 20% of the field and Ithaca’s parent company the Delek Group, who are on a UN human rights blacklist for operating in occupied Palestine, and which also provides fuel to the Israeli Defence Force. If approved, Rosebank would see £250 million go towards Ithaca Energy.
The letter, signed by several concerned residents from Portsmouth, argues that the government’s commitment to energy independence must be absolute and immediate. As one constituent Lizzie stated, ‘Families across Portsmouth are struggling with their energy bills. We need energy independence so we can avoid these cost spikes that oil dependency causes, especially when foreign powers initiate illegal wars driving prices up.
‘Rosebank could result in a net loss of over hundreds of millions to the UK Treasury, thanks to the billions in tax breaks its owners would get for its development. What if, instead, we directed these funds to building more national climate resilient infrastructure, or helping households with bills?
‘New oil and gas expansion at this moment in the climate crisis is madness, and a betrayal of future generations. Renewables are cheaper and cleaner and don’t leave us vulnerable to volatile oil price shocks. The new extreme heat records of this Summer have shown the climate crisis is here and we can’t afford to make a bad situation even worse by failing to move away from fossil fuels fast enough. It’s time to Stop Rosebank.’
Key demands from the community include:
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Immediate halt to all new oil and gas extraction, including the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects.
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The government’s manifesto commitment to end new oil and gas licences is fully upheld, and legislated.
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The transition to renewables is accelerated with the same urgency as the wellbeing of our communities, national security and the climate crisis demand.
The residents and the letter they delivered highlighted the double crisis facing communities like those in Portsmouth: the economic vulnerability caused by reliance on volatile global fossil fuel markets, and the accelerating climate crisis that disproportionately impacts young people and families already struggling with the cost of living. Not only do families have to try to keep their kids warm in winter, they are now facing the struggle of trying to keep their homes cool in summer.
‘Recent events in the Middle East have demonstrated the devastating economic consequences of our reliance on global fossil fuel markets,’ the letter states. ‘You only need to speak to local residents to understand the difficulties families across Portsmouth are facing. The Energy Independence Bill could offer a pathway out of this vulnerability for our communities.’
The community members also acknowledged that Stephen Morgan has attended a local screening of the National Emergency Briefing, so is positioned to understand the scientific reality driving the need for immediate action. ‘Every new fossil fuel project we approve locks us into further warming that will disproportionately impact the young people within our community,’ the letter warns.
Portsmouth resident Kerry added, ‘We’re sending a clear message that our community stands united in demanding action. This is about protecting our community against further energy shocks, avoiding the cost of inaction while keeping our climate stable.’
The constituent letter delivery coincides with growing public pressure for the government to match its rhetoric on energy independence with concrete action, particularly on stopping Rosebank and other new fossil fuel projects.
Details of upcoming local People’s Emergency Briefing Screenings can be found here.
Photo courtesy of Lizzie Rose and Kerry Thackaberry.
