‘Despicable decision’ to hand out new oil licences by UK Government

Climate campaigners have slammed the UK Government’s ‘despicable decision’ to hand out dozens of new oil and gas licences despite worsening climate breakdown.

Friends of the Earth Scotland’s climate and energy campaigner Caroline Rance said:

“Handing out new oil licences is a despicable decision from the UK Government because Ministers know that new fossil fuels will lead to even greater death and destruction from climate breakdown. This is a wilful dereliction of duty from an Energy Minister who is committing the people she is supposed to represent to more frequent and more intense storms and floods like those that are lashing the UK right now.

“The UK Government is acting in service of a fossil fuel industry that has been raking in billions in profits whilst households across the country have been forced into fuel poverty. This decision will do nothing for home energy bills or UK energy security, as all the oil extracted will be sold to the highest bidder to further line the pockets of fossil fuel executives. Every new oil field granted takes us further from the fair and fast transition to renewable energy that is needed by workers and the communities most affected.”

“Both Governments should be working tirelessly to move away from a fossil fuelled energy system, which means they must reject new oil fields like Rosebank and the reckless plans to build new a gas-fired power station at Peterhead.”