The prime minister’s support for new North Sea oil and gas drilling licences has been criticised by the government’s own net zero adviser, who has called for an emergency Parliamentary debate on the issue.
Rishi Sunak used a trip to Scotland on Monday (31 July) to confirm 100 licences will be issued in September to extract oil and gas from the North Sea, with the government open to further licensing rounds in the future.
Sunak also announced the creation of two new carbon capture, utilisation and storage clusters (CCUS) – in Scotland and the Humber.
The backing of CCUS was welcomed by many in the utilities sector, including Energy UK, whose deputy director Marta Krajewska described it as a “genuine opportunity for the UK to lead the world” in developing these clusters at scale.
However, the approach to North Sea oil and gas extraction provoked rebukes from both Labour and within the Conservative party.
Former energy minster Chris Skidmore, who authored the government’s Net Zero Review, said: “This is the wrong decision at precisely the wrong time, when the rest of the world is experiencing record heat waves. It is on the wrong side of a future economy that will be founded on renewable and clean industries and not fossil fuels. It is on the wrong side of modern voters who will vote with their feet at the next general election for parties that protect, and not threaten, our environment.”
He added: “Worryingly, this decision has been announced when MPs are on recess and unable to hold the government to account. I will be writing to the speaker to call for an emergency debate as soon as we return.”
Criticisms have also come from groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, with the former accusing the government of launching “a cynical attack on the UK’s climate policy ambition” and that latter saying Sunak’s “international credibility is on the line”.
The row over oil and gas licences has overshadowed what was billed by the government as a week-long energy security push.
Sunak and energy secretary Grant Shapps are due to meet leaders across the energy sector to “drive forward measures that safeguard national energy security and reduce reliance on hostile states”. As well as backing CCUS, the government has pledged to announce measures to boost “cutting edge renewables” across the country.