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Chris Stark, Climate Change Committee’s Climate Change Committee member, states that it is wrong and naive to believe that increasing domestic oil and natural gas production will solve the UK’s energy crisis.
Environment
24 February 2022
Cromarty FIRTH, Invergordon UK: Oil rigs James Jones Jr./Shutterstock
Ending new UK oil and gas production is credible and would send a clear signal to the world that the country is serious about meeting global temperature goals, according to the UK government’s climate advisers.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), however, did not urge the end to the issuing of new oil and gas exploration licenses. Instead, it called for tighter government testing to determine if new projects are compatible or not with climate targets.
The independent group also said it wanted to “bust the myth” that drilling for more oil and gas was the answer to the current shock of high energy prices, As some have suggested. Chris Stark, the chief executive of the CCC, said those advocating ramping up UK production are “naive” because it will take too long and won’t change what consumers pay because prices are set internationally.
“The very best way to shelter ourselves from the kind of price volatility we are seeing is to pursue net zero,” says Stark. “It’s a winning strategy for the climate; it’s also a very good strategy for energy security.”
In a letter to the UK business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng today, the CCC said there should be a “presumption against exploration” and that ending new exploration would send a “clear signal” the UK is committed to the goal of keeping the world’s temperature below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. “We think an end to UK production is credible,” says Stark.
However, the advisers said they couldn’t tell the government to stop approving new fields because the impact of such a move on global oil and gas production was too unclear and there are energy security and job issues that are beyond the CCC’s remit and are for politicians to consider.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy proposed a series if tests to ensure future oil and gas licensing, known as the climate compatibility testpoint. A government consultation is closed for this reason on Monday.These tests are welcome, but the letter stated that they should be stronger.
It suggested that approval should be conditional on projects reducing their operational carbon emissions by 66% on 2018 levels by 2030. This is a deeper cut than the 50 percent proposed by industry and regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority. The committee also suggests extending the tests to cover projects that have already been licensed but haven’t yet been consented, a later development stage that allows rigs to be built.
At the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last Nov., the question of whether the UK should stop future oil-and-gas projects was under discussion. An alliance pledges a ban on production. Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, She stated that she was interested in joining the coalition, although oil and gas licensing powers aren’t devolved to Scotland.
The UK government was contacted to comment on the CCC letter.
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