Page 16 - EurOil Week 50 2020

EurOil POLICY EurOil

UK Prime Minister Boris
Johnson announcing
on December 11 that
the country would stop
supporting overseas
fossil fuel projects.

UK government faces calls to end

North Sea exploration

UK THE UK government faces calls from envi- the review is complete. But the government
ronmentalists to follow Denmark’s example in has stopped short of suggesting it might end
Authorities in Denmark ending exploration for oil and gas in the North exploration.
agreed to end offshore Sea. The UK is unlikely to take such a step, consid-
licensing rounds earlier Authorities in Denmark this month agreed to ering how much larger a role the offshore sector
this month. end offshore licensing rounds and phase out all plays in its economy. While Denmark produced
oil and gas production by 2050, as part of efforts a mere 100,000 barrels per day of oil last year, the
to reduce emissions. The move was an embar- UK produced 1.1mn bpd. The sector employs
rassment for the UK government, which has over a quarter of million workers, with employ-
declared that the UK will play a leading role in ment mostly concentrated in Scotland and parts
tackling climate change, even though it is yet to of northern England.
announce plans to stop searching for more oil The UK government also vowed this week to
and gas. Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged stop funding and promoting fossil fuel projects
on December 4 that the UK would cut its emis- overseas as part of its commitment to addressing
sions by 68% by 2030 versus the 1990 level, rep- climate change.
resenting the most ambitious target of any major In a statement on December 11, Johnson’s
economy. office said the UK would stop financing, aid
“If the UK is to be a real global climate leader, and trade promotion for new projects overseas
it must follow Denmark’s lead by stopping issu- to produce or use oil, natural gas or coal. Only
ing new oil and gas exploration licences and a limited number of exceptions will be made for
delivering a managed phase-out of oil and gas gas-fired power plants, in line with Paris Agree-
extraction,” Ken Penton, a UK climate cam- ment goals.
paigner at NGO Global Witness, told the Guard- “Climate change is one of the great global
ian. “This must include funding a just transition challenges of our age, and it is already costing
for oil and gas workers and their communities lives and livelihoods the world over,” Johnson
to ensure they can benefit from the new green said in a statement. “Our actions as leaders must
economy and do not suffer the fate of UK coal be driven not by timidity or caution, but by
miners and their communities.” ambition on a truly grand scale.”
The UK said in September that it would Decisive actions today, he said, would “create
review its offshore licensing policy to ensure the jobs of the future, drive the recovery from
that it is in line with the country’s climate goals, coronavirus and protect our beautiful planet for
and that no new rounds would be held until generations to come.” ™

P16 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 50 17•December•2020