Yousaf: Taking sides on local weather change is sure to harass some folks
cotland’s First Minister has mentioned that taking sides on tackling local weather change goes to “piss people off”.
Humza Yousaf, talking at a stay recording of the Holyrood Sources podcast, mentioned it was necessary to “take a side” on what he described because the “biggest existential crisis our planet faces”, pointing to a rash of climate-related points this summer time.
He went on to distinction his stance with that of the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a summer where, every single week, we’ve seen with such visibility, the impact of the climate emergency right across the world,” he mentioned.
This is a time for politicians to take extra motion to deal with the local weather emergency, not much less motion
“And we’ve got a Prime Minister literally saying he’s on the side of the motorist, sitting in Margaret Thatcher’s old Rolls-Royce and making it a wedge issue.
“Now you’ve got Keir Starmer saying they’re going to roll back on ultra low emission zones (Ulez).”
The First Minister added: “This is a time for politicians to take more action to tackle the climate emergency, not less action.
“So, yes, I will be choosing sides, because that’s what you have to do, and frankly that’s going to piss off some people.”
The Scottish Government set a goal of reaching internet zero by 2045, and ministers have been vocal of their opposition to the potential Cambo oil area, the event of which has been criticised by local weather activists.
But ministers have been much less forthright about their opinions on the close by Rosebank oil area.
Both oil fields lie within the North Atlantic, west of Shetland.