25 Jun 2024

The marine conservation campaign group, Oceana, is preparing to take the UK government to court, claiming the decision to issue North Sea oil and gas licences without taking into account their impact on the environment was unlawful. The decision to issue the new licences was unlawful on several grounds, says the charity, including a failure to consider the […]

11 Oct 2022

North Sea oil and gas licenses ‘overlap’ with marine protected areas, which are home to threatened species. The analysis by Uplift found that more than a third of the locations being offered clash with protected zones, the Independent reported. The government’s response to the consultation on the UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment 4 (OESEA4) Environmental Report paved […]

27 Sep 2022

The UK government has confirmed support for a new oil and gas licensing round.     The government’s response to the consultation on the UK Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment 4 (OESEA4) Environmental Report has been published. This will pave the way for future licensing or leasing for offshore oil and gas, offshore gas and carbon storage, […]

01 Mar 2022

As reported in the Guardian, advisers say refusing new licences would signal green ambition, but final decision must be for ministers. The prospects for an expansion of oil and gas drilling in the North Sea have cleared a major hurdle, as the Committee on Climate Change said “stringent tests” must be applied to any new exploration licences […]

16 Dec 2020

PM announces the UK will end support for fossil fuel sector overseas The Prime Minister will announce an end to the UK Government’s direct support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, as he opens the Climate Ambition Summit. In the last four years, the government supported £21 billion of UK oil and gas exports […]

29 Aug 2017

Apparently the second time this has happened; a salutatory lesson for those in charge of emergency response at the coast. The Guardian: The chemical cloud that left beachgoers on the East Sussex coastline with stinging eyes, sore throats and even vomiting on Sunday remains a mystery, with officials saying it is unclear what caused the […]

21 Sep 2015

The Task Force on Shale Gas has launched its 3rd report, looking at how the development of a UK shale industry would affect our overall climate impact. The report’s overarching finding is that shale gas has a role to play as an interim baseload energy source in the UK energy mix over the medium term.  […]