The UK government will not fight a legal challenge against the decision to grant consent to drill in untapped oil and gas fields off Shetland and Aberdeen. Greenpeace and Uplift jointly brought judicial reviews to stop the development of the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields.
It comes after the Supreme Court ruled that a UK council should have considered the climate impact of new oil wells – setting a precedent for all regulators. The government’s decision does not mean the licences for Jackdaw and Rosebank have been withdrawn. But if the judicial review backs the environmental groups, operators would need to resubmit environmental assessments.
This would create more delay and additional costs for Rosebank’s owners, Equinor and Ithaca Energy, and Jackdaw’s owner, Shell. The UK government has pledged that oil and gas would play an important role in the economy “for decades to come” as the UK transitions to clean energy. It is planning to consult later this year on its manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “We will consult at pace on new guidance that takes into account the Supreme Court’s ruling on environmental impact assessments, to enable the industry to plan, secure jobs, and invest in our economy.
Source: BBC
In other news – Government looking at tougher outdoor smoking rules – PM
Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed the government is looking at tougher rules on outdoor smoking to reduce the number of preventable deaths linked to tobacco use.
Responding to reports that smoking could be banned in some outdoor spaces, the prime minister said “we have got to take action” to reduce the burden it puts on the NHS. Read more
