Climate activists to camp and protest at Mossmorran, Fife next weekend

Mossmorran Action Weekend

31 July – 1 August: Scottish climate activists to set up two-day climate camp in protest against the Mossmorran petrochemical refinery

• Activists to gather at camp in protest against Scotland’s third largest polluter, Mossmorran Plant in Fife, with a demonstration planned at the gates on Sunday 1st August.
• The protest follows years of community campaigns against flaring and pollution at the plant. Shell and ExxonMobil have repeatedly breached environmental regulations at the plant.
• This will be the first climate camp in Scotland since 2009. It coincides with an international day of action against gas.
• Strict COVID precautions will be in place for the duration of the weekend, with camp attendance capped.

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On Saturday 31st July and Sunday 1st August, climate activists from across Scotland will join with local campaigners in Fife at a camp to protest against the Mossmorran petrochemical refinery.

Activists are targeting Mossmorran as Scotland’s third largest polluter. They want the government to shut down the plant and bring forward plans for a ‘Just Transition’ to create green jobs for impacted workers.

The action follows campaigns by local residents, who have held weekly protests at the site gates, conducted detailed impact mapping of air and noise pollution from flaring, and submitted over 900 complaints about the environmental and health impacts of the plant. It coincides with a day of international protests against fossil gas, by groups including Ende Gelande and Shale Must Fall.

Mossmorran is operated by Shell and Exxon, who have repeatedly breached environmental regulations at the site. Both companies have faced legal action for obstructing climate action and failing to align their business strategies with global climate targets.

The two-day camp aims to build bridges between communities who live in the shadow of the plant, workers, and the climate movement, while exposing failures of the Scottish & UK governments to deliver on their climate commitments in the run-up to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow.

Mossmorran Action Weekend is the first camp of its kind in Scotland since 2009, when activists occupied the proposed opencast coal mine Mainshill Wood. 2021’s Mossmorran Action Weekend Camp will host a programme of workshops, assemblies and performances, with full facilities provided by volunteers from Climate Camp Scotland. On Sunday, participants will join local residents in a march to the site gates.

Jemma Kettlewell, a spokesperson for local campaign group Actions Speak Louder Than Words (ASLTW), said:

‘For communities living next to Mossmorran, the constant flaring is terrifying. It impacts on our mental and physical health. Residents have reported heightened anxiety, health impacts including itchy throats, asthma, headaches and migraines, and sleepless nights from light and noise pollution. The Scottish Government and SEPA have ignored local community concerns for too long. Now they must act. We need a Just Transition Board, made up of local residents & workers, to plan for the future beyond Mossmorran.’

Bryce Goodall, a resident of the area and campaigner with Actions Speak Louder than Words

“We are fed up. Local, Scottish and UK Governments are completely disregarding the demands of residents to give the community a roadmap for closing the plant and transitioning the hardworking, highly skilled workforce into the renewable industries of future.

This is why Actions Speak Louder than Words in collaboration with Climate Camp Scotland would like to warmly invite residents to join with us in our Mossmorran Action Weekend, where we’ll empower our community with the skills and knowledge needed to rise up, organise and hold our governments to account on delivering for communities. Exxonmobil and Shell have proven they cannot be trusted and are unwilling to transition. Our community and future generations are being condemned to suffer with health and social impacts every single day.”

Benji Brown, a spokesperson for Climate Camp Scotland (CCS), said:

‘From Germany to Madagascar, this year has witnessed record-breaking floods, fires, and heatwaves. Yet while the government pays lip service to the climate crisis, oil giants like Exxon and Shell get a free pass to carry on polluting. Polls show that two thirds of Scots want to wind down oil and gas extraction and invest in green industries. As Scotland prepares to host COP26, it’s time to quit fossil fuels for good, and deliver on the promise of a Just Transition.’

Due to the pandemic, the camp was postponed last year, and now proceeds on a smaller scale with strict COVID precautions in place. The group has capped camping at 90, with 140 attendees during the day at the camp to ensure safe social distancing.