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n Tuesday, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) pleaded with governments to accelerate efforts in reducing global dependence on oil and gas. Fatih Birol emphasized the need for a “strong signal to energy markets” that demonstrates governments’ commitment to addressing climate change. He further highlighted the special responsibility of wealthy nations, who have historically contributed more to carbon emissions, as the climate crisis intensifies at an alarming rate.
On Wednesday, Britain made a significant decision, but it was contrary to the expectations of the IEA. The UK government approved the exploitation of the country’s largest untapped oilfield, known as the Rosebank project in the North Sea. This oilfield has the potential to yield 500 million barrels of oil, contributing the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as 56 coal-fired power stations running for a year. The decision to offer tax incentives to the Norwegian energy company Equinor for this project undermines the UK’s credibility in future climate negotiations.
Despite government claims that this decision is driven by energy security concerns for British citizens, approximately 80% of North Sea oil is sold abroad. So, what is the true motivation? The reality is that, along with recent reversals of net-zero targets, the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, is using the climate emergency as a political tool. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, believes that he can turn the challenges of the green transition into a divisive issue with the opposing Labour Party, hoping for short-term electoral advantage. However, this strategy is systematically eroding the previously established consensus on climate commitments.
Domestically, this cynical disregard for the UK’s environmental responsibilities will burden future governments with the task of repairing the damage caused. This irresponsibility not only hampers the potential benefits of economic growth associated with the net-zero timetable, which sets the industrial parameters of the future but also destabilizes climate targets that enjoy popular support. Insufficient government support this month has already led to a disastrous halt in the growth of the offshore wind sector. This combination of political opportunism and short-sightedness is jeopardizing the prospects of a greener Britain.
However, the impact of the Rosebank decision will be most damaging on the global stage. Skeptics of net zero targets on the British right often point to the vast difference in emissions between countries like the UK and major economies like China and India. Yet, the rest of the world recognizes the historical responsibility of the industrialized west in creating the climate crisis. Failure of countries like the UK to lead in mitigating the damage makes it significantly harder to achieve the global cooperation needed to limit temperature rises. The journey to net zero is not merely a matter of statistics; it involves complex negotiations of political and ethical dynamics for the benefit of the entire planet.
In this context, the decision of the besieged Conservative administration to prioritize North Sea oil and gas sends a disastrous message. Two years ago, in an interview with the Guardian, Fatih Birol expressed his concerns about the “growing gap between the rhetoric [from governments] and the reality” regarding climate targets. Regrettably, this gap widened even more on Wednesday in Britain.
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