<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/31/dismay-as-rishi-sunak-vows-to-max-out-uk-fossil-fuel-reserves>
"Rishi Sunak has pledged to “max out” the UK’s oil and gas reserves as he
revealed a new round of intensive North Sea drilling, which experts said could
be catastrophic for the climate.
Unveiling a plan to authorise more than 100 new North Sea licences on a visit
to north-east Scotland, the prime minister also indicated he would approve
drilling at the UK’s largest untapped reserves in the Rosebank field, which
hold 500m barrels of oil.
Speaking to reporters on a visit to a Shell gas terminal north of Aberdeen,
Sunak insisted the plan was compatible with net zero commitments given the
anticipated part-reliance on fossil fuels for years to come, saying it was more
carbon-intensive to ship oil and gas from other countries.
But experts said this ignored the fact that much of the UK’s imported gas comes
by pipeline and tends to be produced more cleanly than its British equivalent.
Environmental groups said Sunak’s plan would “send a wrecking ball” through
climate commitments.
Tory and Labour MPs said Sunak’s “economically illiterate” announcement was
“driving a coach and horses” through previous promises, and warned the prime
minister he was “on the wrong side of history” and that modern voters wanted
leaders who “protect, and not threaten, our environment”."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
