UK Government Approves Expansion of North Sea Oil and Gas Licenses, Igniting Controversy

Britain has committed to granting hundreds of licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction as part of efforts to become more energy independent, despite criticism from environmental campaigners. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also announced support for two carbon capture and storage (CCS) clusters in Scotland and northern England. The government argues that increasing domestic fossil fuel supply would reduce the carbon footprint compared to importing liquefied natural gas, but faces legal challenges from climate activists. The International Energy Agency has stated that no new oil and gas projects should proceed to meet global climate targets. The North Sea Transition Authority regulator expects the first of the new licences to be awarded in the autumn.