The decision to approve the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea may be delayed until late autumn. The Green Party has alleged that the government is stalling to avoid revealing its stance ahead of the crucial by-election in the Holborn and St Pancras constituency. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh was preparing to recommend approval for the Jackdaw field, located off the coast of Aberdeen. However, according to multiple Whitehall sources, there is no likelihood of a final decision being reached in the few remaining days before the House of Commons adjourns for party conferences on Tuesday.
This delay makes it unlikely that a final announcement will be made before the Holborn and St Pancras by-election on October 8. Green Party leader Zack Polanski is contesting the seat—vacated by Keir Starmer—against Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali. Polanski has sharply criticized the government’s indications that it would proceed with the Jackdaw project, despite record temperatures linked to the climate crisis. Upon his nomination, he accused the Labour Party of launching its election campaign with a deceptive move.
Green Party leader Polanski stated that Labour clearly intends to authorize new drilling in the North Sea but wants to keep this under wraps during the by-election, knowing full well that the public desires stronger action against climate change, not a step backward. He added that while Labour speaks of change, this is actually a change for the worse; at a time when the world is grappling with a climate crisis, Labour has sided with fossil fuel corporations.
Postponing the decision on the project could make it easier to avoid the Jackdaw controversy at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool later this month. Meanwhile, Shadow Energy Secretary Andrew Bowie has written to the Prime Minister, questioning whether the decision on the Jackdaw gas field is being delayed until the conference recess and the by-election have concluded. He remarked that if this were true, it would amount to prioritizing Labour Party interests over the interests of Great Britain. Alongside the Jackdaw gas field, a separate decision regarding the Rosebank oil field project remains pending. Environmental activists have demanded the complete cancellation of both projects. Conversely, US President Donald Trump has urged the UK Prime Minister to proceed with these projects. The Labour Party had pledged in its election manifesto not to issue any new drilling licenses in the North Sea; however, the companies behind Jackdaw and Rosebank have primarily applied for environmental approval based on their existing licenses.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy recently stated that the North Sea remains a vital national asset, supporting employment, economic growth, and energy security. They further noted that oil and gas would continue to play a significant role in the UK’s energy system for decades to come, alongside efforts to tackle the climate crisis and protect jobs. The companies resubmitted their applications for environmental approval earlier this year.
Under the current process, the Energy Secretary will forward recommendations to the North Sea Transition Authority, which will subsequently grant formal approval. Industry experts estimate that, once fully operational, these two fields could supply approximately 10 percent of the UK’s total oil and gas production. Consultations on the two projects concluded last month, and the recommendations are currently under consideration.
However, environmentalists argue that the carbon emissions resulting from these oil and gas fields could cause economic damage amounting to approximately £336 billion. Although the projects—operated by Shell and the Norwegian firm Equinor—held licenses to operate, courts had previously revoked their environmental approval because the carbon emissions resulting from burning the produced oil and gas were not factored into the assessment.
Authentic Source: The Guardian – Business
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