Britain on Monday committed to granting hundreds of licenses for North Sea oil and gas extraction as part of efforts to become more energy independent, drawing criticism from environmental campaigners.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed plans for more than 100 such licenses, which attracted bids earlier this year, and said hundreds of future licenses could also be granted. [emphasis, links added]
He also announced fresh support for two carbon capture and storage (CCS) clusters in Scotland and northern England.
Britain has a target to reach net zero emissions by 2050 but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said even by this date the country is expected to get more than a quarter of its energy from oil and gas.
He said new domestic fossil fuels would help to improve energy security and reduce reliance on states such as Russia.
“We have all witnessed how (Russia’s President) Putin has manipulated and weaponized energy… Now more than ever, it’s vital that we bolster our energy security,” he said in a statement.
British efforts to reach the net zero target have become a sharp dividing line between the governing Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party ahead of an election expected next year, with Sunak saying it should be met in a “pragmatic” way that does not add to household bills.
The government argues that stemming the decline in domestic supply would reduce the carbon footprint when compared with an alternative option of importing liquefied natural gas. [However], it is facing legal challenges from climate activists and green groups who warn increasing fossil output is at odds with the goal.
Sunak said the new licenses were compliant with the government’s environmental targets.
Read rest at Reuters
The only thing politicians fear more than woke backlash is losing their job.
Aren’t trees a good enough carbon and capture storage option.
So will those idiots from Greenpeace be using their Fossil Fueled Ships to try and halt those oil leases in the North Seas will they send out their usual Fake News to make all sorts of stupid and wild claims about it all?
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The British people are really lucky to have a PM who is facing up to reality.
Here in Australia, large oil co’s are reducing investments because it’s all too difficult and costly to do business here. Finding and producing new oil and gas is definitely not on the agenda. We will be a renewable super power, our stupid engery minister tells us after he covers thousand of square miles in wind mill, solar panels and of thousands of miles of new power lines.
I wish we had a PM like Rishi Sunak. He’s a smart guy.
Those Wind Turbines and Solar Panels will not be good for the Birds and covering vast acres of open land(Down Under)isa a total waste of land and resources and unsafe for Birds