Health leaders call on Scottish Health Secretary to say no to new oil and gas

Health leaders representing Royal Colleges, Associations and Societies have called on the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care to speak out against consent for the Rosebank and Jackdaw oilfields due to the significant health risks they pose, both for the UK and global populations.

The health leaders say these oil and gas fields in the North Sea would be at odds with Scotland’s ambition to be net zero by 2045 and NHS Scotland improvement plan’s focus on prevention. They are also at odds with the UK Government’s commitment to deliver clean power by 2030.

The Scottish Climate Survey found that almost three quarters of people in Scotland feel climate change is an immediate and urgent problem, and almost all households have experienced an extreme weather event in the previous 12 months.

The health leaders say our health systems will see increasing patient demand as a consequence of climate change risk factors, and our health infrastructure is at risk from over-heating, flooding and other unpredictable extreme weather events.

We must do all we can to tackle climate change to protect the nation’s health and the NHS.