The Scottish Conservatives lead a Scottish Parliament debate calling for Holyrood to support the oil and gas sector
The new Cambo oil field, which is about 75 miles west of Shetland, could be opened up for drilling next year
That has sparked criticism from climate change campaigners and political parties like the Scottish Greens which are now playing a role in government
The start of the new parliamentary year marked the beginning of a power-sharing deal between the SNP and the Greens
The motion for the Tory debate says "a strong North Sea sector supporting tens of thousands of Scottish jobs is preferable to increasing energy imports during the transition to net zero"
The spotlight will be on Scotland in six weeks' time when world leaders meet in Glasgow to discuss climate change, and the future of energy production
MSPs back the government amendment to the oil and gas debate, causing the other amendments to be pre-empted.
68 MSPs backed it, with 55 against - the same result as recorded for the vote on the Tory motion as amended by the net zero secretary.
That's all from the Live Page team today. Join us for extensive coverage of FMQs from 11.40am tomorrow.
Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green Party MSP, says the UN Secretary General Secretary Antonio Guterres recently called for an end to all new fossil fuel production and a shift all subsidies to renewable energy.
But he adds this is "not happening with UK government policy".
Mr Ruskell says that countries around the world are recognising that an oil and gas transition "needs a clear destination to transition to."
And he tells MSPs ministers must act now to prevent a "sudden and deferred collapse of jobs in the future".
Joy and her family are among two million Nigerians living within 4km of a gas flare in Nigeria's oil-rich south.
Climate change has had a devastating impact on Nigeria. Fertile lands are turning into deserts in the north, while flash floods have become more common in the south.
It is said that the country's oil industry is making things worse as the practice of flaring - the burning of natural gas that is released when oil is extracted from the ground - is common despite its illegality. The practice is a major source of greenhouse gases and a contributor to climate change.
Liam McArthur tells the chamber Holyrood voted for a commitment to net zero by 2045.
The Lib Dem MSP says meeting net zero will require the cessation of the use of fossil fuels.
He points out: "We don't have the luxury of time."
Mr McArthur says he cannot understand the UK government wanting to go ahead with Cambo.
He stresses the need to reskill and retrain for a just transition.
As an amendment to motion S6M-01193 in the name of Liam Kerr (Future of North Sea Oil and Gas), leave out from "supports" to end and insert "believes that, in the current circumstances, the license for Cambo should not proceed; recognises that decisions taken over the next 10 years will either make the planet or break it; believes that every aspect of how people live needs to be sense checked in light of the climate emergency, and that this includes the oil and gas sector; notes the evidence that people in the industry would embrace new opportunities, but that both the Scottish and UK governments have failed to provide workers with the promised opportunities for green jobs, which are critical to their skills being redeployed as part of a just transition; notes the impact that this has had on communities connected to the oil and gas sector; recalls that the license for Cambo was first considered in 2001, when the basic facts of global warming were still being regularly disputed, and believes that the climate checkpoint must be applied, given the understanding that now exists around the climate emergency and that the extraction of oil and gas cannot continue unabated."
Monica Lennon says this is "one of the biggest issues facing our planet".
The Labour MSP adds: "The biggest threat to our planet is climate inaction."
She says there must be "no Cambo".
Ms Lennon says reports show Cambo is "another nail in the coffin of our dying planet".
Quote MessagePushing ahead with Cambo would be a betrayal of future generations."
Monica Lennon, Scottish Labour
She calls for a managed and just transition for the North East.
Ms Lennon argues "we have to do better" in terms of Green jobs and warns "the Tories don't do just transitions".
"Cambo must not go ahead."
Harriet Bradshaw
Reporter
Do our leaders support new oil fields in the transition to greener energy?
Or do they go in a different direction, like Denmark?
Friends of the Earth Scotland in their report released today, external are urging the UK Government to follow.
The environmental group wants us to join Denmark as it seeks alliances (Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance) with other countries nailing their colours to the mast and ending all new oil and gas exploration.
A club that could threaten politician’s claims here of “climate leadership”.
But debate takes time and when it comes to the climate crisis, scientists say we’re running out of it.
As an amendment to motion S6M-01217 in the name of Liam Kerr (Future of North Sea Oil and Gas), leave out from "supports" to end and insert "believes that the development of the Cambo oil field would be at odds with Scotland’s aim of being net zero by 2045 and should not go ahead; considers that it is crucial that the transition to green sources of energy is jobs- and worker-led to retain and increase skilled jobs in Scotland; notes that the number of people directly employed in the low-carbon economy in Scotland is currently at its lowest level since 2014, at only 21,400, according to the latest available figures, and calls on the Scottish Government to use its powers over procurement, offshore windfarm licence approval and the Scottish National Investment Bank to secure and grow domestic supply chains for renewables, creating high-skilled, well-paying jobs across Scotland."
The Net Zero and Energy Secretary says oil and gas developments must be compatible with Scotland becoming a net zero society by 2045.
Mr Matheson highlights the recent major UN scientific report and says it cannot be “business as usual”.
He adds that the Scottish government has raised its concerns with the UK government and has urged it to reassess existing and new licences.
Mr Matheson acknowledges renewable jobs cannot replace oil and gas immediately.
But he adds: “That’s why we are committed to ending our contribution to climate change in a way that is both just and leaves no one behind.”
He adds that additional funding will help support and accelerate the transition and make the North East a “centre of excellence” for the transition to net zero.
Net Zero and Energy Secretary Michael Matheson says the oil and gas industry has a "vital role to play in Scotland's energy future".
He adds the infrastructure, skills and expertise of the sector will be a "huge asset" in helping the country reach net zero.
And he tells MSPs it will be help Scotland become a world leader in emerging technologies, such as offshore wind.
Mr Matheson says the Scotland is “presently in a transition from fossil fuels”.
He adds: “We owe that to the planet and none of us should try to escape that responsibility”.
But the net zero and energy secretary tells MSPs the transition must be “both fair and just”.
Mr Matheson adds that the government is working with the energy sector to secure the environmental benefits of decarbonising the energy system but also to “secure and seize” the economic opportunities it presents.
In August we reported that Nicola Sturgeon had written to the prime minister to urge him to reassess the development of a new North Atlantic oil field west of Shetland.
The first minister said proposals for the Cambo field should be re-examined over "the severity of the climate emergency".
Her letter comes after a UN report issued a "code red for humanity".
The UK government wants to reduce the use of fossil fuels, but says there is still "ongoing demand" for oil and gas.
In her letter, Ms Sturgeon asked Boris Johnson to commit to "significantly enhancing the climate conditionality" associated with offshore oil and gas production.
Harriet Bradshaw
Reporter
Let’s start with one clear point that everyone in this debate agrees on – we are dealing with a “climate emergency”.
It’s an important distinction to make: there are the facts, and then there are the political opinions.
So, we have a very serious problem and burning fossil fuels is part of it.
Even Oil and Gas UK repeated to me today: “we remain committed to cut our emissions at pace”
So how do we solve the problem? Well, that’s where political opinion seems to come into play and “pace” in the political sphere seems open to more interpretation.
And this debate reflects what’s happening on the world stage.
As an amendment from Net Zero and Energy Secretary Michael Matheson to motion S6M-01193 in the name of Liam Kerr (Future of North Sea Oil and Gas), leave out from "supports" to end and insert "recognises how important the oil and gas industry, infrastructure, highly-skilled workforce and supply chain are to Scotland; agrees that countries around the world cannot continue to maximise recovery of hydrocarbons if the aims of the Paris Agreement are to be met; believes that Scotland and the UK cannot ignore the concern that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is simply incompatible with protecting the planet; understands that the Scottish Government will undertake analysis to understand Scotland's energy requirements as the country transitions to net-zero in line with the aims of the Paris Agreement; recognises the role that hydrogen, carbon capture, utilisation and storage can play in a just transition, so long as they are not used to justify unsustainable levels of fossil fuel extraction; welcomes the Scottish Government's commitment to working with communities and those most impacted across Scotland, including the highly-skilled oil and gas workforce, to co-design the Transition Plan for Energy, and to taking forward a 10-year £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray, and calls on the UK Government to match this investment, as well as reassess all existing licenses for undeveloped fossil fuel extraction in light of the climate emergency."
Mr Kerr points out last year almost £3bn of oil and gas was imported from Russia.
The Scottish Conservative net zero spokesman warns increases in oil and gas costs will thrust thousands into fuel poverty.
He says the industry supports some 100,000 jobs and warns against a hard shutdown.
Mr Kerr says there are no details from the Scottish government's Just Transmission Fund. He calls on MSPs to follow the science and back his motion.
Liam Kerr begins by saying no-one denies there is a climate emergency.
The Scottish Conservative net zero and energy spokesman goes on to say there is a need to take significant steps now.
Simplistic solutions must be avoided, argues Mr Kerr who calls for the science to lead decision making.
Mr Kerr says "there is still significant ongoing demand" for oil and gas.
The MSP says demand will fall by only 15% by the time new Cambo field gets under way.
He insists this is a complex situation and argues renewables cannot provide the electricity the UK needs.
Mr Kerr questions where the oil and gas we need will come from, saying it cannot be sensible to not use "Scotland's oil" and import from abroad.
Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor
Image source, PA MediaOil used to be what every government either treasured or craved: a gusher of windfall tax revenue, jobs galore, geo-political clout, and no need to depend on imports.
But economists talk of the "resource curse", in which too much of a good thing skews the economy, pushes up costs and crowds out other activity.
And now, there's a new sort of curse from having oil. For a country committed to reducing carbon emissions, it's at least as much a dilemma as a bonanza.
That's particularly true of a country taking a lead on tackling climate change, which is where the UK is currently situated, in the chair of the COP26 summit where deal-making will require leadership by example.
Image source, Getty ImagesRising sea levels are just one result of climate change.
Leaders from 196 countries are meeting in Glasgow in November for a major climate conference.
They are being asked to agree action to limit climate change and its effects, like rising sea levels and extreme weather.
A new report from UN scientists warns that global temperatures have risen faster since 1970 than at any point in the past 2,000 years.
What is the climate conference?
The summit is widely seen as crucial if climate change is to be brought under control.
It is the moment world leaders will discuss whether enough has been achieved since 2015's landmark Paris climate agreement.
This was the most important attempt so far to commit all countries to limit global warming.
They agreed to try to keep temperature increases "well below" 2C (3.6F) and to try to limit them to 1.5C. But many scientists say efforts have fallen far short and global warming could be set to reach 3C, external.
Organised by the UN, the conference is called COP26, external (COP stands for Conference of the Parties).
That the Parliament supports new oil and gas projects, including Cambo, because a strong North Sea sector supporting tens of thousands of Scottish jobs is preferable to increasing energy imports during the transition to net zero.
The debate gets under way at around 3.20pm, with the motion from Tory MSP Liam Kerr.
Harriet Bradshaw
Reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesAn offshore oil exploration rig, in the Scottish sector of the North Sea, burns off oil and natural gas it has just tapped
The UK government was due to meet the developers of a new oil field west of Shetland, in August.
Scotland Office minister David Duguid said he was "eager" to hold talks with Siccar Point Energy in Aberdeen to discuss the Cambo oil field.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said proposals for the field should be re-examined over "the severity of the climate emergency".
With November's COP26 summit in Glasgow approaching, the UK government has promised to take the lead role in what is seen by many as our last, best chance to prevent global temperatures from spiralling out of control.
But environmental groups have accused ministers of "hypocrisy" after it emerged that the development of a vast new North Atlantic oil field at Cambo, west of Shetland, could get the green light.
Image source, PA MediaOn a visit to Scotland, Boris Johnson said Cambo contracts should not be "ripped up"
Good afternoon and welcome to BBC Scotland's Live Page coverage of Holyrood on Wednesday 15 September 2021.
Our focus this afternoon is on a debate on the future of the oil and gas sector, to be led by the Scottish Conservatives.
The debate is due to begin at 3.20pm.
Image source, PA MediaClimate change protestors oppose the development of the field