Eco groups have demanded to know why Nicola Sturgeon has not yet signed up to an international scheme to axe fossil fuels - which she vowed to explore in 2021.
Speaking at COP26 in Glasgow 14 months ago, the First Minister said it was “highly likely” Scotland would join the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance group of nations.
BOGA has more than a dozen members including Denmark, Costa Rica, Wales, Ireland, France and Sweden and is committed to the “managed phase-out of oil and gas production”.
It comes after the SNP-Green government last week published its controversial new Energy Strategy which proposes a “presumption” against new North Sea drilling.
In an interview at COP27 in Egypt in November, Sturgeon suggested an update on membership of the alliance would be included in the 20-year energy blueprint - but BOGA wasn’t mentioned.
And environmental charities insisted the policies announced on fossil fuels in the strategy were “overhyped” and “shied away” from the big decisions.
Friends of the Earth Scotland campaigns chief Mary Church said: “We need to rapidly and fairly move beyond fossil fuels if we are to meet our climate commitments.
“The First Minister promised there would be an update on joining BOGA in the energy strategy.
“Yet all that was announced earlier this week was a consultation on whether we should phase out oil and gas sooner than the inevitable decline of North Sea extraction would dictate.
“By committing to ending support for fossil fuels and joining BOGA, the Scottish Government would send a clear signal that they are serious about tackling the climate emergency.
“Instead, they are falling short of the example set by countries such as Denmark and Costa Rica, which have banned fossil fuel exploration for good.”
The government’s twice-delayed draft strategy stopped short of setting an end date for fossil fuels - but opened a consultation on whether ministers should "adopt a presumption against any new oil and gas exploration".
With North Sea licensing reserved to Westminster, the stance would be largely symbolic.
However, the proposals were blasted by business leaders as a "breathtaking betrayal" of the estimated 90,000 Scots workers tied to the oil industry.
Sturgeon previously said, if Scotland was to join BOGA, it would likely be in the lower rungs of membership, highlighting the need to ensure North Sea labourers didn’t end up on the “economic scrapheap”.
Speaking to the BBC at COP27, the FM said it was “absolutely not” the case that lobbying from fossil fuel firms had slowed down plans to sign up to the organisation.
Sturgeon added: "The question, when will we become some kind of member [of BOGA]... when we conclude this work. Our Energy Strategy will be published imminently.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We are clear that the unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations and we support the fastest possible just transition for the sector.”
She added: “We continue to engage with BOGA as part of a wider programme of analysis and engagement with a range of organisations and stakeholders.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
