Rosebank

Greens warn of burning world and call for faster transition

Spread the love
Image of the Green Party's Carla MP Denyer on BBC Question Time.
Image of the Green Party’s Carla Denyer MP on BBC Question Time.

Responding to new data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service showing that the global temperature was the highest on record for a January, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer MP said: 

“In light of this latest scientific evidence, it would be dangerously foolish to do anything to put our burning world in even greater danger. 

“Yet that is exactly what the government is doing – determined to expand Heathrow and Gatwick airports and refusing to rule out giant new oil and gas fields at Rosebank and Jackdaw coming on stream. 

“Indeed, Equinor, one of the oil giants wanting to exploit the Rosebank field, has decided to cut promised investments in renewables in favour of increased oil and gas production.

“The government is sending totally the wrong signals to the markets. We need a government committed to speeding up the transition away from fossil fuels. The government must make it clear now that it will not allow new North Sea oil and gas drilling go ahead. 

“We must also get serious about how we make our communities more resilient to the now-unavoidable impacts of climate change. We need our homes and our communities to be fit for the future.” 

Continue ReadingGreens warn of burning world and call for faster transition

Labour MPs at ‘breaking point’ with Keir Starmer over North Sea row

Spread the love

https://www.thenational.scot/news/24909299.labour-mps-breaking-point-keir-starmer-north-sea-row

The Prime Minister is facing a growing internal backlash from Labour MPs after Treasury sources indicated Rachel Reeves is likely to give her backing for the proposed Rosebank development (Image: PA/Henry Nicholls)

WESTMINSTER politicians are reportedly at “breaking point” with Keir Starmer over the potential of approving a new oil and gas field in the North Sea.

The Prime Minister is facing a growing internal backlash from Labour MPs after Treasury sources indicated Rachel Reeves is likely to give her backing for the proposed Rosebank development.

MPs have reportedly called for Starmer to reiterate his own commitments to no further oil and gas licences.

Last week a judge ruled the Rosebank development, which was given the green light by the previous Tory administration, as unlawful following a legal challenge brought by Greenpeace and Uplift.

Previously the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, described the licence issued to Rosebank as “climate vandalism”.

Reeves is reportedly supportive of a new application for environmental consent for the North Sea development, despite Labour’s manifesto promising not to issue any new exploration licences.

MPs who are concerned about the climate emergency are reported to be likely to make their appeals directly to Keir Starmer about the importance of being seen to stand by the party’s manifesto commitment of no new oil and gas licences.

…

https://www.thenational.scot/news/24909299.labour-mps-breaking-point-keir-starmer-north-sea-row

Continue ReadingLabour MPs at ‘breaking point’ with Keir Starmer over North Sea row

‘We’d go absolutely nuts’: PM warned of Labour fight if he backs huge oilfield

Spread the love

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/31/keir-starmer-warned-against-approving-rosebank-oilfield-labour-unease-heathrow

[Guardian] Exclusive: MPs and ministers say they would oppose Starmer if he tries to approve Rosebank development

Senior Labour figures are warning of a serious fight if Keir Starmer tries to give the go-ahead to a giant new oilfield off Shetland later this year.

MPs and ministers have told the Guardian they are prepared to oppose the UK prime minister should he try and give final consent to the Rosebank development, which is Britain’s biggest untapped oilfield.

Many in the party see the battle over Rosebank as the next front in the struggle between its environmental wing and those around Rachel Reeves who want to push for economic growth above all else. The chancellor signalled her support for a third runway at Heathrow this week as part of the government’s latest push to stimulate the economy.

One ally of the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, who is leading the government’s climate agenda, said the former Labour leader would have a “punchy” response for any attempt to give consent to Rosebank. The ally said: “Ed will come to that fight armed with a lot of evidence about what Rosebank will do to our carbon emissions.”

A spokesperson for Miliband declined to comment.

…

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/31/keir-starmer-warned-against-approving-rosebank-oilfield-labour-unease-heathrow

Orcas are pleased that Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are blocked.
Orcas are pleased that Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are blocked.
Continue Reading‘We’d go absolutely nuts’: PM warned of Labour fight if he backs huge oilfield

New oil and gas field consent was unlawful – judge

Spread the love

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e1pw7npklo

A court has ruled that consent for two new Scottish oil and gas fields was granted unlawfully and their owners must seek fresh approval from the UK government before drilling can begin.

The written judgement on the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields came after a case brought by environmental campaigners, Uplift and Greenpeace, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

In his judgement, Lord Ericht said a more detailed assessment of the fields’ environmental impact was required, taking into account the effect on the climate of burning any fossil fuels extracted.

He said work on both fields could continue while the new information was gathered but no oil and gas could be extracted unless fresh approval was granted.

Shell’s Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea was originally approved by the previous UK Conservative government, and the industry regulator, in summer 2022.

Permission for the Rosebank oil development, 80 miles west of Shetland in the North Atlantic, was granted in autumn 2023.

In a 57-page judgement, Lord Ericht wrote that there was a public interest in having the decision “remade on a lawful basis” because of the effects of climate change – which he said outweighed the interests of the developers.

…

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3e1pw7npklo

Orcas are pleased that Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are blocked.
Orcas are pleased that Rosebank and Jackdaw oil fields are blocked.
Continue ReadingNew oil and gas field consent was unlawful – judge

UK government approves Rosebank oilfield in UK’s North Sea

Spread the love

The UK government has approved the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea. I’ll have a lot to say on this but for a start while it blows any remaining pretence that UK is committed to net zero, the UK government will be massively subsidising a foreign company to extract and take the oil abroad …

Extinction Rebellion NL image reads STOP FOSSIELE SUBSIDIES
Extinction Rebellion NL image reads STOP FOSSIELE SUBSIDIES

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/24/uk-government-launch-revamped-net-zero-strategy-oil-gas-capital-aberdeen

… [N]ew estimates by the campaign group Uplift show that Rosebank, expected to cost £4.1bn to develop, could receive an effective taxpayer subsidy worth £3.75bn through tax breaks and the loophole in the government’s windfall tax that spares oil and gas investment.

This would mean that Equinor, the Norwegian state-owned company behind the potential field, would pay only £350m to develop Rosebank, which is three times the size of the Cambo oilfield. Equinor made £62bn last year, and about 80% of the oil from Rosebank is likely to be exported, rather than bolstering the UK’s energy security.

…

Continue ReadingUK government approves Rosebank oilfield in UK’s North Sea