Ban Petroleum Licensing Now In Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is under imminent threat from the fossil fuel industry. The Exeter University report on Department for Economy (Mar 21) said the fossil fuel industry had a direct line to and huge influence on the Dept for Economy (DFE) strategies and policies. They said DfE Governance was not fit for purpose, and the DfE would not let go of its statutory duty to promote gas. It is not possible for DfE to produce policy or energy strategy in the public interest.
DfE facilitated for the fossil fuel industry's interest and in Dec 21 the New NI Energy Strategy said NI should start a new oil and gas industry, including a blue hydrogen process (20% higher emissions than gas or coal) and add a Carbon Capture and Storage process, (only 75-85% capture and limited storage) and pump highly explosive blue hydrogen into NI Gas network. This filthy extravagance will lock NI into fossil fuels and a legacy of fuel poverty for generations, just when we need to move to renewables.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill must write immediately to the Minister for the Economy Gordon Lyons and demand to know if a ban on Petroleum Licensing is going to be one of the options brought by Department for the Economy (DfE) into the Executive. If a ban on petroleum licensing is not one of the options, then we need this appalling move by DfE stopped and blocked by Michelle O'Neill. She must use her power as Deputy First Minister, who must agree the Executive agenda, to not agree to allow it onto the executive agenda. She must not allow it into the executive unless Sinn Fein MLAs together with UUP and Alliance Ministers have the power in the Executive to ban petroleum licensing at that point. DfE will bring only one policy option to public consultation. It must be a ban on petroleum licensing. Sinn Fein must stop it, block it or ban it now or a new oil and gas extraction industry will become unstoppable. Please contact your Sinn Fein MLA's urgently.
