Activists set up the Aberdeen Climate Camp today at St Fittick’s Park, Torry, ahead of the weekend’s protests.
Energy Voice’s reporter arrived at the site before the camp’s main tent was set up and spoke with campaigners about their personal reasons for attending the protests.
Speaking with Climate Camp Scotland spokesperson Quan Nguyen, we found out specifically why the activists have set up in Aberdeen for this year’s protest.
Mr Nguyen said: “We are here to protest fossil fuel expansion and to protest for the start of a just transition for fossil fuels to renewable energy but also to support the communities here whose green space is threatened by Aberdeen City Council and the fossil fuels industry and by harbour expansion to the Energy Transition Zone.
“We’re here to hold the governments to account, to hold Aberdeen City Council and all the polluters in the city to account because as I say, this cannot continue.”
© Supplied by Wullie Marr / DC ThoThe 300 protestors anticipated to attend the camp are opposing the UK Government’s decision to allow Shell to drill the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea
This comes as decisions are being made on a new gas-fired power station at Peterhead by Aberdeen City Council and the proposed Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) in Aberdeen from Sir Ian Wood.
The latter has been criticised by Friends of St Fittick’s Park, part of the reason Climate Camp Scotland decided to set up in Europe’s energy capital this year.
The protestors claim it will sacrifice St Fittick’s park, “one of local residents’ only green spaces, to industrial development”.
A member of Climate Camp Scotland said: “I’m here today because I’m sick and tired of the same rich oil executives cashing in on killing all of us and I actually want to see a change.
“I’ve lived in Aberdeen and I have family who live here and I’ve seen the way this city has been treated in pursuit of profit and it’s not going to stand anymore and I’m not going to stand for it.”
