ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners began 10 days of protests across Scotland today to highlight damage to the world’s oceans. 

Members of Ocean Rebellion, a group affiliated to Extinction Rebellion, staged a theatrical action in which Prime Minister Boris Johnson and an “oilhead” were portrayed as setting on fire the sail of a small boat,  marked: “Your children’s future,” before burning stacks of banknotes.

The action took place on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow, just opposite the SSE Hydro building, one of the sites of the forthcoming Cop26 climate change summit. 

The action, timed to coincide with Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget announcement, highlighted successive governments’ complicity in the fossil fuel industry.

Performers said that the scene represented the Westminster government’s total lack of purpose in combating the climate emergency, ocean acidification and biodiversity loss that will devastate all our futures and leave a dead ocean for future generations.

Rob Higgs of Ocean Rebellion said: “This is an emergency. Ocean Rebellion is appealing to the delegates at Cop26 to wake up, join the dots and take immediate action. 

“Marine habitat destruction is causing elevated levels of atmospheric CO2. 

“We call for a drastic reduction of shipping emissions by easy means like fuel-efficient slow sailing and retiring of inefficient ships. This is a minimal requirement to make the shipping industry consistent with Paris Agreement goals.”

Representatives of the group also said that the proposed development of the Cambo oil field off Shetland must be opposed, voicing concerns over its impact on the natural environment. 

Activists demanded that governments across the globe make the oceans a priority at Cop26, cease all subsidies to fossil fuel firms and start taxing shipping fuel.