The closure of Grangemouth's refinery sums up Labour's Net Zero muddle
Another grim milestone in Britain's elective deindustrialisation was reached today: Scotland's only remaining petrochemical plant, Grangemouth in Fife, ceased refining crude oil after more than half a century of processing output from the Forties field in the North Sea.
It was hardly a surprise. PetroIneos, the part-Chinese-owned company, announced last year that Grangemouth was to become a terminal for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imported from abroad. But today's news is significant because nothing better exposes the contradictory state of British energy policy.
Despite Britain having substantial reserves of hydrocarbons in the North Sea – approximately 24 billion barrels – the UK government is choosing to switch to costly imports, which are likely to be more carbon-intensive than our own supplies, since much of it is transported thousands of miles by tanker. Moreover, much of the LNG we import annually from America is extracted using hydraulic fracturing (fracking): a method banned here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC News
6 minutes ago
- NBC News
Prince William says ocean conservation is a challenge like no other ahead of U.N. summit
The third U.N. Ocean Conference opens Monday, with Britain's Prince William among those raising the pressure on nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. The summit comes as just 2.7% of the ocean is effectively protected from destructive extractive activities, according to the nonprofit Marine Conservation Institute. That is far below the target agreed under the '30x30' pledge to conserve 30% of land and sea by 2030. Atop this year's agenda is ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Adopted in 2023, the treaty would for the first time allow nations to establish marine protected areas in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and are largely ungoverned. Speaking ahead of the conference, Britain's Prince William said Sunday that rising sea temperatures, plastic pollution and overfishing were putting pressure on fragile ecosystems and the people who depend on them. 'What once seemed an abundant resource is diminishing before our eyes,' William, heir to the British throne, told the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco. He described the challenge as being 'like none we have faced before'. 'Put simply: the ocean is under enormous threat, but it can revive itself. But, only if together, we act now,' he told the meeting of investors and policymakers. Mauro Randone, regional projects manager at the World Wildlife Fund's Mediterranean Marine Initiative, said that 'it's the Wild West out there with countries just fishing anywhere without any sort of regulation, and that needs to change.' 'The high seas belong to everyone and no one practically at the same time, and countries are finally committing to establish some rules,' he added. The ocean is critical in stabilizing Earth's climate and sustaining life. It generates 50% of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs around 30% of carbon dioxide emissions and captures more than 90% of the excess heat caused by those emissions. Without a healthy ocean, experts warn, climate goals will remain out of reach. The treaty will only come into force once 60 countries ratify it. As of Monday, just 32 countries had. Advocates hope UNOC can build enough momentum to cross the threshold, which would allow for the first official Oceans Conference of Parties. 'Two-thirds of the ocean is areas beyond national jurisdiction — that's half our planet,' said Minna Epps, director of global ocean policy at the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 'We cannot possibly protect 30% of the ocean if it doesn't include the high seas.' South Korea, France and the European Union have championed the treaty, but most large ocean nations have yet to ratify it, including the rest of the G20. Thousands of attendees are expected in Nice, from delegates and heads of state to scientists and industry leaders. The United States has yet to confirm a formal delegation. Beyond new commitments, the conference highlights the growing gap between marine protection declarations and real-world conservation. France, the conference co-host, claims to have surpassed the 30% target for marine protection. But environmental groups say only 3% of French waters are fully protected from harmful activities such as bottom trawling and industrial fishing. 'The government declares these as protected areas, but this is a lie,' said Enric Sala, founder of the National Geographic Pristine Seas marine reserve project. 'Most of it is political box-ticking. It's all paper parks.' That criticism is echoed across the continent. A new World Wildlife Fund report found that although more than 11% of Europe's marine area is designated for protection, just 2% of E.U. waters have management plans in place. Fabien Boileau, director of marine protected areas at France's Office for Biodiversity, acknowledged the presence of bottom trawling in French protected areas, but said it was part of a phased strategy. 'In France, we made the choice to designate large marine protected areas with relatively low levels of regulation at first, betting that stronger protections would be developed over time through local governance,' he said. 'Today, we're gradually increasing the number of zones with stricter protections within those areas.' Advocates say industrial fishing lobbies continue to resist stricter protections, despite evidence that well-managed reserves boost long-term fisheries through the 'spillover effect,' whereby marine life flourishes in nearby waters. 'Protection is not the problem — overfishing is the problem,' Sala said. 'The worst enemy of the fishing industry is themselves.' The conference will feature 10 panels on topics such as blue finance, sustainable fisheries and plastic pollution. Deep sea mining is expected to feature in broader discussions, while small island states are likely to use the platform to advocate for increased climate adaptation funding. The outcome of these discussions will form the basis of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a declaration of voluntary commitments to be adopted by consensus and presented at the United Nations in New York this July. 'There cannot be a healthy planet without a healthy ocean,' said Peter Thomson, U.N. special envoy for the ocean. 'It's urgent business for us all.'
Metro
17 minutes ago
- Metro
Major European holiday destination opens e-gates to British travellers
UK holidaymakers will soon be able to skip long passport queues at a major European airport, thanks to a new UK-EU deal. Portugal will be the first country in the EU to allow UK passport holders to use e-gates after the deal was struck. The rollout will begin at Faro airport in the Algarve, just in time for the busy summer travel season. The Algarve region is one of the most popular holiday destinations for British holidaymakers, with millions of travellers passing through Faro airport last year. Since Brexit, UK passport holders have had to queue at manned border control desks to get their passports stamped when entering the Schengen area countries. But under a new agreement struck at a UK-EU summit in May, it was confirmed that there would be no legal barriers to UK travellers using e-gates. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds confirmed the news in Parliament last week, saying: 'The historic deal that we signed with the EU on May 19 is in our national interests. 'Good for bills, borders and jobs. It slashes red tape and bureaucracy, boosts British exporters and makes life easier for holidaymakers.' The Prime Minister's official spokesman said that millions more Brits heading to the Algarve will be able to use the e-gates in time for summer holidays. He added: 'We're obviously continuing to work with other countries and other airports to ensure Brits can use more e-gates as soon as possible and that work continues.' Just last week, Portuguese media reported large queues at passport control at Faro airport, with delays of up to two hours. More Trending Last year, tourists were met with three-hour delays at Faro airport, due to e-gates reportedly not working. Pictures shared on social media showed travellers crammed in like sardines before passport control. The EU's Entry/Exit system (EES), expected to launch in October 2025, will eventually replace manual passport checks from non-member countries. According to the UK government website, when EES is introduced, travellers to the Schengen zone will need to create a digital record on their first arrival at the airport. It explains: 'If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, when you arrive.' Austria Belgium Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: British sailor arrested 'after throwing girlfriend who couldn't swim into river' MORE: The underrated Swiss lake town that's like Como without the crowds MORE: 'Hawaii of Europe's' breathtaking capital gets new £39 easyJet flights from UK
STV News
an hour ago
- STV News
LA protests turn violent after Trump deploys National Guard troops
Tear gas and flash bangs were used to control the crowd, as ITV News' Daniel Rosney reports Tensions have escalated in Los Angeles as thousands of protesters clashed with police, after President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops as part of his latest immigration crackdown. Demonstrators set fire to self-driving cars, blocked motorways and hurled chunks of concrete and electric scooters at police officers, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets. Some were detained on Sunday evening, as police arrested those refusing to disperse. Sunday marked the third and most intense day of protests against Trump's immigration policy in the region. A British news photographer was hospitalised and underwent emergency surgery after being hit by a sponge bullet while documenting a standoff between authorities and protesters. Protesters march from City Hall to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles. / Credit: AP Nick Stern said: 'My initial concern was, were they firing live rounds? 'Some of the protesters came and helped me, and they ended up carrying me, and I noticed that there was blood pouring down my leg.' The arrival of around 2,000 National Guard troops came after two days of protests, which began on Friday, when federal agents arrested a number of immigrants in the city. More than 100 immigrant arrests were made last week in Los Angeles, according to federal authorities. Protesters confront police on the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center of downtown Los Angeles. / Credit: AP Many more were arrested while protesting, including a prominent union leader who was accused of impeding law enforcement. The Guard is a US military reserve force often mobilised in domestic emergencies, answering to both state governors and the president. It was deployed to protect LA's federal buildings, including the downtown detention centre where protesters concentrated. Troops stood carrying long guns and riot shields on Sunday morning, as protesters shouted 'shame' and 'go home'. After some demonstrators came close to them, another set of uniformed officers advanced on the group, shooting smoke-filled canisters into the street. Minutes later, the Los Angeles Police Department fired rounds of crowd-control munitions to disperse the protesters, who they said were assembled unlawfully. Much of the group then moved to block traffic on the 101 freeway until police cleared them by the late afternoon. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said deploying the troops was 'essential to halting and reversing the invasion of illegal criminals into the United States'. Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom requested that Trump remove the guard members in a letter on Sunday afternoon, calling their deployment a breach of state sovereignty. – Inciting and provoking violence – Creating mass chaos – Militarizing cities – Arresting opponents These are the acts of a dictator, not a President. — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) June 8, 2025 In a post on social media platform X, Newsom launched a series of criticisms of the president, calling him a 'dictator' and accusing him of inciting violence. As he prepared to board Air Force One in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump told reporters that there were 'violent people' in Los Angeles, adding: 'They're not gonna get away with it.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
