North Sea drilling is not best route to lower energy prices, say Climate Change Committee

The government’s advisory Climate Change Committee (CCC) has written to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, warning that new oil and gas is not the best way to protect consumers from rocketing energy prices.

The CCC say that getting the UK off fossil fuels, not more drilling in the North Sea, is the best way to protect consumers from high energy prices.

New licences wouldn’t kick in for decades, by which point we need to have pivoted away from fossil fuels.

The best approach to reducing consumer bills is to cut demand for fossil fuels, through home insulation, heat pumps, electric vehicles and developing more wind and solar power.

Backwards steps on renewable power and home efficiency have added £140 to energy bills.
Committing to no new oil and gas fields would boost the UK as a global climate leader.

On proposals for new climate checks: the CCC supports a tighter limit on production, with stringent tests and a presumption against exploration.

Even if emissions from producing oil and gas in the UK are lower, we would be feeding into a larger global market for fossil fuels, undermining global climate goals.

Rosie Rogers, head of oil and gas transition for Greenpeace UK, said: “Anyone who’s read this advice and thinks the North Sea’s future lies in oil and gas is utterly deluded, because it will take decades and won’t ease energy bills.

“What we need to tackle bills and climate change is home insulation, heat pumps, electric vehicles and renewable power. And while this letter is addressed to the Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, chancellor Rishi Sunak needs to take on board this evidence-based analysis, stop hoping to resurrect a declining fossil fuel industry, and instead support the real solutions to the energy crisis as we approach the Spring Statement.

“The future of the North Sea is in renewables. Our economy, our energy security and our climate depends on it.”