Climate Campaigners Stage Protest at Bute House Over Peterhead Power Station Approval
Environmental groups have held a Halloween-themed demonstration outside the First Minister's official residence in Edinburgh after ministers approved a new gas-fired power station at Peterhead.
A busy Edinburgh street lined with historic stone buildings in late afternoon light. Stock image · Photograph: Photo by SOHAM BANERJEE on Unsplash
Climate campaigners have staged a demonstration outside Bute House in Edinburgh to protest against the Scottish Government's decision to approve a new gas-fired power station at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire.
Activists wearing Halloween masks gathered in Charlotte Square outside the First Minister's official residence, carrying placards that read "fossil fuel ghouls" and "this decision will haunt you". The demonstration also followed a recent UK government announcement allowing the Jackdaw gas field near Aberdeen to go ahead.
Campaign groups described the Scottish Government's approval of the plant as a "catastrophic failure", arguing that the combustion of fossil fuels serves as the primary cause of extreme weather, including record heat, flooding and recent storms.
Kate Whitaker of Friends of the Earth Scotland said fossil fuels cause harm to "millions of people" and stated that decisions to approve oil and gas developments make the public fearful for the future. She argued ministers should instead concentrate on climate solutions such as well-insulated homes, reliable bus transport and the creation of green jobs.
A Scottish Government spokesperson responded by saying ministers remain "unwavering in our commitment to tackle climate change" and to achieving net zero by 2045. The spokesperson added that the full grounds were detailed in the formal decision letter, stating that potential impacts on nature, communities and cultural heritage were significant factors in the decision.