Extinction Rebellion is protesting at a Go Petrol station in Belfast city centre over its parent company’s application for an oil terminal on the Antrim coast.
Cookstown-based LCC Group Ltd hopes to build Northern Ireland’s first deep water oil terminal at Cloghan Point.
But many in the seaside town’s community have been campaigning against the plans over environmental, marine and visual impact concerns for years through the group ‘No To Cloghan Point’.
Read more: Northern Ireland "not prepared" for extreme weather like heatwaves, says expert
XR NI argue the project will ‘tie us to fossil fuels for the future’ rather than encouraging renewable investment and a transition to cleaner and cheaper energy.
As part of their ‘Extinction Rebellion July Uprising’ activists plan to leaflet the public and Go customers about the project during morning and evening rush hour this week.
Eimear Smith from XRNI said: “Cloghan Point does not correspond with Northern Ireland’s Climate Bill and Net Zero 2050 targets.
“Our recent heatwaves indicate that climate change, which scientists continue to tell us is due to the continued use of fossil fuels, is already happening in Northern Ireland.
“Business [that] ties Northern Ireland to fossil fuels is putting the lives and future of people at risk.
“With rising sea levels, many parts of Belfast may be underwater in the coming centuries.”
LCC applied to redevelop the existing oil storage depot at Cloghan Point in 2018 to a importation, storage and distribution facility for petrol, oil, gas, diesel and kerosene where biofuels can also be blended, with capacity of around 199,909 tonnes.
In application paperwork, they say the deepwater jetty will be able to accommodate “up to 120,000 tonne vessels”.
Mid and East Antrim Council is yet to make a decision on the application.
Professor of Environmental Planning at Queen’s University, Belfast, Geraint Ellis, said: “The proposed oil terminal at Cloghan Point, Whitehead is an unwelcome, unnecessary and damaging development that further undermines the aim of decarbonising the Northern Ireland economy.
“It’s development is in no one’s interest except the companies that rely on oil for their profits, and makes our response to the threats of climate change even more difficult. We really hope that Mid and East Antrim Council recognise this and refuse the planning application.
“We really welcome the demonstrations from Extinction Rebellion at Go Garages, and everyone should consider taking their trade to companies that can make a more positive contribution to Northern Ireland’s future.”
Mid and East Antrim Council and LCC have been contacted for comment.
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