In a week where the United Nations Climate Change Summit is taking place in New York and over 200 protestors called for action outside Tynwald and Government offices, the Isle of Man Government has announced public procurement opportunities to advise on technical and fiscal matters relating to the exploration and exploitation of climate damaging fossil fuels in the Isle of Man waters.
The timing of this announcement by the Government, in the week of global climate change strikes across the World, displays an utter contempt for the Isle of Man’s global responsibilities and for the announcement by the Isle of Man Parliament of a Climate Emergency.
Greta Thunberg, the teenage climate activist, declared to the United Nations this week that “you have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words”. In light of this decision by the Isle of Man Government, Chief Minister Howard Quayle’s declaration of a climate emergency, the Biosphere pledge, and the appointment of Professor Curran to lead a climate change transformation team seem to be only empty words against a background of a climate catastrophe.
Fracking and any extraction of hydrocarbons from the Isle of Man seabed is entirely inconsistent with the UNESCO Biosphere pledge and the declaration of a climate emergency. Natural Gas is a high carbon fuel source and emits the climate change exacerbating methane gas on extraction. Dr Doug Fox, former United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change scientist, speaking at the Isle of Man Green Party Conference last week said that it is the highest priority for the Isle of Man Government to be proactive in weening society off fossil fuels.
The Isle of Man Government has a responsibility to its citizens to transition to a clean and sustainable future without actively facilitating playing a role in the release of many more tonnes of carbon dioxide that would have gone untouched but for its intervention.
Isle of Man Green Party Leader, Andrew Langan-Newton, was invited to speak Manx Radio on this issue. Watch the video here.
