North Sea drilling: Greenpeace prepares to challenge ‘disastrous’ UK decision
Greenpeace has attacked the government’s “disastrous” decision to award new licences for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea as it prepares to challenge the move in the high court.
A court hearing on Tuesday will determine whether the environmental group will be permitted a judicial review of the decision, made during Liz Truss’s short-lived time as prime minister.
Last year, her administration kicked off an oil and gas licensing round under which companies could bid for more than 100 new licences to explore for oil and gas.
The North Sea Transition Authority began the process in October, offering up about 900 locations for exploration, and it is expected to conclude in June. It is the first new licensing round since 2019-20.
The decision was carried out by the then energy secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg, under Truss despite warnings of possible legal action by Greenpeace. The green organisation has since carried out that threat, arguing in its court filing that the new licences will further harm the environment.
The Greenpeace UK climate campaigner Philip Evans said:“We’ve had warning after warning that there must be no new oil, and now time is running out. Yet the government continues to ignore the experts, approving new oil and gas without even bothering to check the full climate impact. That’s why we’re challenging them in the high court.”
Evans added: “Relying on fossil fuels is disastrous for our energy security, the cost of living, and the climate. So why is the government hellbent on approving new licences? It begs the question of whose interests they really serve.”
Evans said the government should instead further strengthen the windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas operators and invest in upgrading Britain’s electricity
Read more on theguardian.com
