Climate Camp Scotland activists battled heavy rain to pitch tents in Aberdeen yesterday as part of a planned protest against the city’s Energy Transition Zone (ETZ).
The wet and windy conditions meant that community spaces were still being set up on Thursday in Torry’s St Fittick’s Park, a day later than anticipated.
However, some dedicated campers managed to stay out in the rain while heating themselves up with chilli, but conditions were “pretty grim”, one protestor told Energy Voice.
The activists are set to stay until Monday 15 July as they plan protest action against the city’s oil and gas firms. They also aim to protect St Fittick’s Park from being built upon by the city’s ETZ.
St Fittick’s Park has been earmarked for the city’s energy transition zone, at the mouth of the new £400 million south harbour.
© Supplied by Ryan Duff/ DCTQuan Nguyen, a Climate Camp Scotland organiser, said: “Right here, this park is part of what they want for the so-called Energy Transition Zone to develop hydrogen from fossil fuel sources and that’s what we’re here to signal, this park is here for the people and not for fossil fuel corporations.”
The reason the ETZ is positioned near the coastline in Torry is to allow connection to offshore wind projects.
An ETZ Ltd spokesperson responded: “The ability to connect land with port assets, and transport large components to and from quayside, is a fundamental requirement so we achieve the investment required to ensure Aberdeen is positioned to capitalise on the vast opportunities provided by new and green energies, particularly offshore wind.
“Almost all other ports of scale across Scotland are making similar investments and we simply don’t want Aberdeen to miss out on the opportunity to position itself as a globally recognised hub for offshore renewables and the significant job benefits this will bring.”
© Supplied by Kenny Elrick/ DCTThere was a police presence at the climate camp as activists set up for the weekend with one protestor explaining that officers had arrived around two hours after tents were pitched on Wednesday.
Officers reportedly checked the perimeter of the camp and have been keeping track of the number of people in attendance.
Chief Superintendent Barry Blair said: “A comprehensive plan is in place to prioritise public safety, enable peaceful protest and minimise disruption.”
A ‘very important’ issue for locals
While Mr Nguyen travelled from Edinburgh for the event, locals are also showing support.
David Parkes, a Torry resident, explained: “This is one of the few green spaces remaining in Torry and it’s set to be destroyed in the name of energy transition.”
He said that showing up to protect Torry’s cherished green space was “very important” to him.
ETZ added: “Through our community & coast programme, ETZ Ltd are firmly committed to enhancing wider greenspaces in proximity of the Energy Transition Zone in co-design and collaboration with the local community.
“This will include significant improvements to St Fittick’s Park, Tullos Woods and the coastal path corridor as part of the project’s wider regeneration ambitions.
“It is important to highlight that we have proposed utilising, subject to planning, a significantly reduced area of development to St Fittick’s Park with just over half of the Aberdeen City Council proposed sites being developed equating to less than a third of the park overall.”
Taking on Aberdeen’s oil giants
Aberdeen hosted a climate camp in late July and early August 2022, during this time protestors gained access to the restricted zone of Aberdeen Harbour.
Protests were held in the city centre and activists managed to stay at the Harbour for two hours before being moved on.
While tents were pitched at Torry’s St Fitticks Park, the Net Zero Technology Centre’s offices were also vandalised, however, Climate Camp Scotland never claimed responsibility for that.
© Supplied by Ryan Duff/DCTCaris Baker, who travelled from Oxford for the protests, explained that there will be nature walks and workshops on the importance of the green space that the protestors are living in over the weekend.
She added: “We are also here to stand up to the fossil fuel industry and to show that this is not a space that is going to be taken away.
“We will be taking action collectively to be showing our power against the fossil fuel industry and that no matter what tactics of intimidation they may use, the policing, people power is stronger than that.
“We are going to be showing that we are a real threat to the fossil fuel industry.”
As protests are set to take place this weekend Integrity HSE looks to provide firms with advice on how to best handle these demonstrations.
Rob Diver as head of risk and resilience at Integrity HSE said that firms need to be “dynamic” when climate activism takes place on their doorstep in a recent interview with Energy Voice.
See images from the climate camp below:
