YOUTH movement Green New Deal Rising has challenged Humza Yousaf on the SNP promise of a public energy company and the governments commitment to Rosebank oil field.
At the Scottish Trades Union Congress’s (STUC) conference in Dundee on Monday, Naroa Hammerson from Green New Deal Rising asked the First Minister for a moment of his time following his speech.
Green New Deal Rising is a movement of young people fighting for social, economic and climate justice and a Green New Deal.
Hammerson, 20, asked Yousaf what the SNP is going to do in reponse to Rosebank, the promise of a public energy company, and a green jobs guarantee.
She said: "In 2017, the SNP said we were gonna have a public energy company - there's no public energy company. There's no green job guarantee and now we've got Rosebank so it's not really a case of no new oil and gas - what is the SNP going to do?"
The First Minsiter replied that the SNP is going to invest in a green economy and unlock jobs, "especially in the north east."
In the minute-long video, when Yousaf says Scotland's transition away from fossil fuels has to be done "in a just way", Hammerson points out that "we've heard a lot of talk Humza, but we ant action now - will you say no to Rosebank?"
Yousaf replies that it is for the UK governement to say no or not to Rosebank.
He then adds: "What we will do is invest in the just transition, but what I won't do is is what Thatcher did to our mining and steel communities, that is to throw workers in the scrap heap."
After pointing out that a transition "to take the workers with us in our jounrney to net zero" is a reason why he was attending the STUC conference, Yousaf says thank you and walks away.
However, Hammerson follow up with "and the public energy company?"
Yousaf says the commitment announced in 2017 by Nicola Sturgeon at the party confernce was something that the party "couldn't progress" to which Hammerson asks "why?"
Yousaf concluded the exchange by saying for a variety of reasons, so "I'll looks at all these good ideas as they come."
Hammerson calls on the First Minister that she "really" hopes the leader acts on it.
BREAKING: We just challenged new First Minister @HumzaYousaf on when his Government will act to protect the climate and create jobs for Scotland. Where is the publicly owned energy company @theSNP promised and why won't they speak out against new oil and gas? #SNPNoMoreTalk pic.twitter.com/qtvSoiSGBo
— Green New Deal Rising (@GNDRising) April 17, 2023
Afterwards, Hammeron commented: "For the first time Scotland will have a leader who is a millennial. He is part of a generation who have been impacted by economic mismanagement and face environmental disaster.
"Humza Yousaf now has to choose whether he will keep the doors open to the demands of the oil and gas industry, wealthy landowners and their lobbyists or respond to the tens of thousands of Scots who want renewables, warm homes, and a safe future for all."
The exchange took place the day before Yousaf sets out his first vision for government at Holyrood.
