The Isle of Man Green Party says that the new gas licence is in conflict with Tynwald and last week’s landmark human rights case.
On April 9, Minister for Infrastructure, Tim Crookall MHK replied to a letter sent by the Green Party.
The Party says that the Minister’s letter indicates that ‘he does not agree’ with its concerns on the grounds that Crogga has asked for a variation and not a new licence.
Green Party letter
In it’s letter to the Minister it had indicated that a proposed variation to Crogga’s gas exploration licence appeared so extreme that it could only properly be described as a new licence.
The Party felt it was extreme as it says the proposed variation to the licence changes the contract to go straight to drilling and ‘ignoring the requirement for a 3D seismic survey’.
It adds that a ‘decision to issue a new licence would be in conflict with the resolution of Tynwald of 20 July 2022, that there would be no new licences for the extraction of hydrocarbons in the Isle of Man seabed’.
The Party have replied to the Minister’s letter ‘requesting an explanation that in circumstances where the proposal to go straight to drilling is apparently in direct conflict with industry best practice, how and why he could conclude it is not a change that goes to the very root of the agreement with Crogga’.
Human Rights
The Green Party received the DOI Minister’s letter response, the European Court of Human Rights handed down its landmark judgement on human rights and climate change in KlimaSeniorinnen v Switzerland Application no. 53600/20.
The Green Party says that, ‘the KlimaSeniorinnen judgement makes it patently clear that parties to the European Convention on Human Rights are under an obligation to take action on climate change for the “substantial and progressive reduction” in greenhouse gas emissions.
Adding, ‘The Isle of Man has been a party to the Convention since 1953 and it has had domestic effect in Isle of Man law under the Isle of Man’s Human Rights Act 2001 since 2006’.
The Green Party has asked the Minister to explain to them how and why a decision now to issue a new licence to Crogga to pursue drilling before industry best practice surveys are conducted, could be compliant with the DOI’s human rights obligations and duties.
The Green Party will publish any response received from the Minister on it’s website.
7 Comments