Actor Brian Cox claimed “we’re in deep shit” when it comes to the climate crisis during a frank moment on BBC Question Time.
The Scottish star – known for his most recent role as Logan Roy in Succession – was addressing whether an independent Scotland would be able to prioritise the environment more than the current UK government does on Thursday.
Challenging the question, Cox said fixing the climate “is not a party political issue”.
He continued: “We’re in deep shit. We really are. And we really have to face up to that.
“To use a Scottish word, I’m well and truly scunnered, quite frankly.”
Cox continued: “The planet is being destroyed and we have to rethink it.
“We have to make certain sacrifices in order to get better.”
He said rather than thinking about how affordable certain green measures are, “we have to think first and foremost about the planet” and “our responsibility to the planet”.
Discussing how an independent Scotland could be more effective in the climate crisis battle, the actor claimed: “We’re a small country – we could show an example.”
He argued that while nations such as Saudi Arabia and Australia are unlikely to change their reliance on fossil fuels, Scotland could have the chance to phase out oil and become a greener country.
He said: “We can make those changes, because we can afford it.”
Cox’s remarks come just over a week before Downing Street hosts the UN’s climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow.
It has been pipped to be a landmark discussion between world leaders addressing the worsening climate crisis but critics have pointed out that the UK itself is still causing significant environmental damage, despite presenting itself as a leading force when it comes to eco-friendly policies.
The Cambo oilfield in the North Sea is expected to be opened up soon – once the government gives oil companies the nod to start drilling – amid growing concerns that No10 is not taking its climate commitments seriously.
The UN’s harrowing IPCC report released in August also released a stark warning to the global population that the window to stop climate change before it becomes irreversible is rapidly closing.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the investigation “a code red for humanity”, which means there is even greater pressure for substantial change to come from COP26.
