UK Urged to Resist Calls for New North Sea Drilling Amid Climate Crisis

The UK government is facing renewed pressure to approve new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. Some politicians cite the war in the Middle East and rising energy costs as reasons to increase domestic fossil fuel production. However, climate experts warn this would be a major mistake. They argue the UK is already struggling to meet its emissions reduction targets. Increasing fossil fuel extraction would make this harder. The North Sea is also a declining resource. Analysis shows about 90% of its recoverable oil and gas has already been used. Any new production would have a limited impact on long-term energy security or prices. Experts state that true energy security can only come from accelerating the shift to renewable energy, not from more drilling. They urge the government to remember the original reason for limiting new projects: the global climate emergency. Bill McGuire is professor emeritus of geophysical and climate hazards at University College London.