WHY are there demands for new North Sea oil and gas licences? The North Sea basin is in terminal decline. It makes no sense.

Gas output is projected to drop 99 per cent by 2050 compared to last year’s levels, with new drilling, if approved, only improving that figure to 97 per cent, according to a Carbon Brief article. Furthermore, 80 per cent of current North Sea oil is exported thus limiting to near zero any impact on domestic prices or security.

This contrasts to clean energy expansion which offers significantly greater protection against volatile imports than domestic drilling ever will.

Wind and solar: The 15GW secured in the latest auction will avoid 78 LNG Q-flex tanker imports annually by 2030 at an annual cost, currently, of £4-billion. That is nearly six times the amount the new North Sea licences would produce at their peak before they rapidly decline to zero whereas wind and solar carry on giving. More wind and solar will be added later this year in further auctions.

Heat pumps: Replacing 85 per cent efficient gas boilers with 300 per cent efficient heat pumps would save a further 44 LNG tankers per year with consequent reduction in costs.

Rolling back climate policies – such as net-zero targets or support for heat pumps –while simultaneously issuing new drilling licences, as has been promoted by some politicians, would increase rather than decrease the UK’s dependence on imported gas. Meeting net-zero targets is the most effective way to cut fossil fuel imports. Additionally, further extraction conflicts with the UK’s commitment at COP30 to phase out fossil fuels to stay within the 1.5°C global warming limit.

Increasing renewables is the best way to increase our energy security, decrease our energy bills and give a cleaner future for our children and grandchildren.

CASA (Climate Action St Austell)