Greenpeace has announced they are preparing to appeal a High
Court ruling that found ministers acted lawfully by approving a
major new oil and gas licensing round without properly assessing
its climate impact. None of the government’s tests look at
emissions created from burning fossil fuels, despite the fact
that this will amount to more than 80% of the total emissions
generated from the new licences.
In the government’s new licensing round, over 100 exploration
licences have been submitted by oil and gas companies, some which
will take decades to develop. Campaigners argue that a drilling
frenzy in the North Sea on this scale will bring more climate
damage while doing nothing to help lower energy bills or boost UK
energy security.
Commenting on the ruling, Philip Evans Greenpeace UK’s
Climate Campaigner said:
“If you told most people that the government is allowed to
approve new oil and gas while ignoring 80% of the emissions it
would produce, they simply wouldn’t believe you. This is
completely irresponsible behaviour from ministers during a
climate crisis. That’s why we will be appealing and hope this
ruling will be overturned.
“More oil and gas drilling will just make oil giants richer and
the climate crisis worse. Instead, we urgently need to move to
abundant, cheap, clean renewable power and prioritise insulating
homes. This is the only way to tackle the cost of living,
guarantee our energy security, and ensure a safer climate.”
Commenting, Tessa Khan, Executive Director of Uplift,
which were co-claimants in the case, said:
“This is a deeply disappointing
decision, not just in terms of the harm that new drilling will do
to the climate and Britain’s marine life, but also because of
what it means for UK households and oil and gas workers. There is
no public benefit from new licensing, only more profit for oil
and gas companies. All new licensing does is signal that the UK
is not interested in transitioning to cheaper, clean renewable
energy, which is the only way we will permanently lower energy
bills and provide workers with secure jobs. Any claim by the
government that new North Sea exploration will boost the UK’s
energy security is false. Most of what’s left in the basin is
oil, most of which we export.
“This government is giving people false hope when what we need is
genuine solutions to the ongoing energy crisis. It’s obvious we
must reduce our dependence on gas by tackling energy waste
through insulation, and rapidly scaling up our cheap homegrown
renewables."Ends
Notes to Editors
Greenpeace argued that the Government failed to follow the
Strategic Environmental Assessments rules for plans which will
affect the environment, and has unlawfully failed to design its
Climate Change Checkpoint to take into account the environmental
damage caused by burning the oil and gas. It is on these grounds
that it will appeal this decision. Greenpeace also argued that
the co-defendant, the Oil and Gas Authority, has unlawfully
opened the new licensing round.
