THE Scottish Greens have warned SNP ministers that they were not “where they need to be” on the environment after the two parties made a power-sharing agreement last week.

Last Friday, the two parties agreed on proposals which could see the Greens provide a confidence-and-supply arrangement to the SNP administration at Holyrood. 

To be finalised the deal needs to be approved by groups on both sides, with the first hurdle – the SNP’s national executive committee – passed on Saturday morning.

This week Scottish Green members will take part in Q&A sessions with MSPs before voting on the deal on Saturday, with a simple majority needed in support alongside two-thirds of the party’s council.

Details around an agreement to hand two ministerial offices to Green MSPs are expected to be outlined later this week.

The power-sharing deal includes areas where both sides have agreed that their policies do not align, including proposals for the controversial Cambo oil field near Shetland. 

Before the Scottish Greens’ meetings this week, co-leader Patrick Harvie said the power-sharing deal will fall apart if either side makes impossible requests of the other.

As the row over Cambo continues, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has called on the British government to review all existing permits that are against environmental standards — a reserved issue over which Westminster retains control.

But environmental groups have maintained that the First Minister is hiding behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the matter.

The Scottish Green Party has retained its opposition to Cambo after making the deal, but joined the Scottish government’s call for a review of licences in the 51-page power-sharing document.

Mr Harvie said he didn’t think the SNP would have changed position if it wasn’t for the co-operation negotiations. He said that all parties have work to do on the environment and that they are only shifting on the issue due to Green pressure.

Campaigners have also welcomed a commitment to ban the homophobic practice of conversion therapy by 2023 as part of the proposed deal, but End Conversion Therapy Scotland said that more needs to be done.

Spokeswoman Sophie Duncan asked the government to back a petition to end the practice as soon as possible, adding: “Despite being considered torture in much of the civilised world, Scotland still gives a carte blanche to those who abuse these traumatised, vulnerable young people.”