What an utterly nauseating and polarising experience week one of COP26 has been. Nothing emphasises the overwhelming chasm gradually materialising between our politicians and people more than tens of thousands protesting their environmental concerns on the streets of Glasgow. Meanwhile, ordinary people are locked out of speeches by global leaders, whose Herculean capacity for undermining their own credibility with egregious displays of downright hypocrisy continues unchallenged.
Whether it is Prince Charles’ carbon footprint, Ursula von der Leyen’s Paris to London “air taxis” or President Biden’s 26-car gas-guzzling entourage, the hubris of attempts to outdo one another on damage to the planet precisely while pontificating about how to do less damage to the planet is breath-taking. The Prince of Wales, for instance, congratulated himself on 50 years of highlighting the “climate crisis”[1] while omitting the fact his own footprint is 96 times that of the average person.
However, when it comes to hypocrisy at COP26, Scotland’s First Minister takes some beating. An outstanding cheerleader she is but an astute political operator, in my opinion, she is not. As political commentator Brian Taylor wrote: “Confined to the fringe by her devolved status, she has nonetheless contrived to sustain a substantial presence.”[2] Aside from various hollow policy statements, selfies and pictures with Greta Thunberg, Angela Merkel and President Biden have been a priority.
In an interview on 1 November, when asked how she felt other nations were doing on global climate goals, Nicola Sturgeon said: “I think there is a genuine gap between the rhetoric and delivery”[3]. Four days later, however, she admitted her government failed to hit their very own targets[4]. Additionally, her new coalition partners became full-blown apologists for this poor performance and swallowed the single malt of their own supremacy by strongly criticising their former allies in Greenpeace.[5]
Worse still, however, Ms Sturgeon opened the COP26 International Maritime Hub on 29 October at precisely the point a Scottish fishing trawler was held, “interrogated and threatened”[6] at a French port with a €75,000 fine for, authorities claimed, not having a suitable licence. Had the European Union (EU) not been forced to intervene, they would have breached their side of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement with the UK Government and Emmanuel Macron could have broken international law.
‘Maritime’ is defined as “connected with the sea” yet a spokesperson for Ms Sturgeon, the leader of a party which once defended anything connected with Scottish waters, responded saying: “It would appear to be, on the face of it, yet another post-Brexit consequence.”[7] Unable to utter even a word against the unjust actions of the EU, this was a bitter reminder that Scotland’s fishermen neither matter nor will the Scottish Government even intervene to support them when under physical threat.
In 1966, so entrenched were Scotland’s north-east coast fishermen in the early development of SNP policy that the late former leader, Gordon Wilson, in his book ‘SNP: The Turbulent Years 1960 – 1990’ (2009) wrote: “Fraserburgh and Peterhead branches emerged with a 12 point resolution on sea fisheries.”[8] There was even a policy for a Scottish navy to ensure “the effective policing of Scottish territorial waters inside limits of 14 miles from headland to headland.”
Furthermore, it is not only the fishing industry in Scotland that has been cut adrift. In April, The Financial Times highlighted: “The [Scottish] oil and gas industry… still makes up more than 10% of GDP”[9] This is 3% more than the UK Government spent in 2019 on public health[10]. It could easily be argued that the oil and gas industry in Scotland sustains the health of 66 million UK citizens. According to the Scottish Government, it also preserves the livelihoods of approximately 110,000 Scots[11].
The net-zero ambitions of the Scottish Government, decided with little consultation due to their vice-like grip on Scottish politics, has also irked some of its most ardent and longest-serving members. For instance, Jim Sillars, a former deputy leader to Alex Salmond in the early nineties, in the Sunday Times wrote: “If Scots don’t wake up and reject the Scottish Government ‘climate emergency’ policy to keep oil underground, we’ll be the only nation to discover oil and get poorer.”[12]
The Scottish Government cannot be trusted with Scottish industries. Were it not for the shambles left behind by Theresa May’s negotiators, Scotland’s fishermen could have already seen full-scale industrial emancipation. However, the SNP obsession with returning to the bosom of Brussels and attaining net-zero targets without appropriate debate will accelerate only industrial incarceration. Political and economic sovereignty from the SNP and external political unions are crucial to reviving and retaining Scotland’s industries.
Ewan Gurr, National Organiser, Restore Scotland
[1] HRH The Prince of Wales. (2021) ‘The private sector holds the key to saving the planet’, The Daily Telegraph, Available at: The private sector holds the key to saving the planet | telegraph.co.uk (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[2] Taylor, B. (2021) ‘Where does power lie at COP26? With Johnson, Sturgeon or the people?’, The Herald, Available at: Where does power lie at COP26? With Johnson, Sturgeon or the people? | HeraldScotland (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[3] Meighan, C. (2021) ‘COP26: Spotlight on Scotland as Nicola Sturgeon interviewed by CNN’s ChristianeAmanpour’, The National, Available at: COP26: Spotlight on Scotland as Nicola Sturgeon interviewed by CNN’s Christiane Amanpour | The National (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[4] Gordon, T (2021) ‘Nicola Sturgeon admits her undelivered climate change targets are ‘meaningless’, The Herald, Available at: Nicola Sturgeon admits her undelivered climate change targets are ‘meaningless’ | HeraldScotland (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[5] Bol, D (2021) ‘Patrick Harvie: Greenpeace ‘not as plugged into’ Scottish politics’ after Cambo support row’, The Herald, Available at: Patrick Harvie: Greenpeace ‘not as plugged into’ Scottish politics’ after Cambo support row | HeraldScotland (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[6] Yorke, H., Gardner, B., Bowman, V. and Ayuso J.W. (2021) ‘Boris Johnson summons French ambassador as Brexit fishing row escalates’, The Daily Telegraph, Available at: Boris Johnson summons French ambassador as Brexit fishing row escalates | telegraph.co.uk (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[7] Yorke, H., Gardner, B., Bowman, V. and Ayuso J.W. (2021) ‘Boris Johnson summons French ambassador as Brexit fishing row escalates’, The Daily Telegraph, Available at: Boris Johnson summons French ambassador as Brexit fishing row escalates | telegraph.co.uk (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[8] Wilson, G. 2009, SNP: The Turbulent Years 1960 – 1990, Scotland: Scots Independent (Newspaper) Ltd. (pp. 47-48)
[9] Sheppard, D. and Thomas, N. (2021) ‘Life After Oil’, FT Weekend Magazine, Available at: Scotland faces up to life after oil | Financial Times (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[10] Full Fact (2019) Spending on the NHS in England. Available at: Spending on the NHS in England – Full Fact (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[11] Scottish Government (2019) Annual Energy Statement 2019. Available at: Annual Energy Statement 2019 (www.gov.scot) (Accessed: 7 November 2021)
[12] Sillars, J (2021) ‘Jim Sillars memoir: Scots voted no in 2014 to stale ideas and grudge politics’ Available at: Jim Sillars memoir: Scots voted no in 2014 to stale ideas and grudge politics | Scotland | The Sunday Times (Accessed: 7 November 2021)