Hundreds of new oil and gas licences will be doled out in the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on July 31, sparking ire from environmentalists in the face of growing climate concerns.
Sunak in a brief statement said “Now, more than ever, it is vital that we bolster our energy security and capitalise on that independence to deliver more affordable, clean energy to British homes and businesses.”
“We’re choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, rather than depend on more carbon-intensive gas imports from overseas – which will support thousands of skilled jobs, unlock further opportunities for green technologies and grow the economy.”
Europe had been locked in an energy crisis following the Russia-Ukraine war and had left countries scrambling to find alternative suppliers to fill the vacuum.
The UK launched a bid round last year, putting more than 900 blocks on auction.
To encourage production as quickly as possible, the NSTA has identified four priority cluster areas in the Southern North Sea, which have known hydrocarbons, are close to infrastructure and have the potential to be developed quickly.
And like Guyana, the UK seeks to balance its oil development and net zero goals.
But the news was not well received, not just by environmentalists but a few members of the British parliament.
Baroness Jenny Jones, of the Green Party, said: “This incompetent Government has made lots of stupid and short-sighted decisions but this is the worst.
“At a time when the majority of the population accepts that climate change is happening and we have to do something about it as a nation, they are moving in entirely the wrong direction.”
Chris Stark, chief executive of Britain’s Climate Change Committee, said the country had fallen behind other nations in the fight against global warming amid Tory infighting in Government.
