The government is revising a policy that makes maximizing economic oil and gas production a legal obligation and it wants to hear your views. The Oil and Gas Authority, the UK’s primary oil and gas regulating agency, believes that this policy doesn’t conflict with achieving the UK’s climate goals. But to stay below 1.5°C, we need a rapid and managed phase-out of oil and gas production, with a just transition that supports workers and communities. Governments are finally starting to act: the recently formed Irish coalition government is set to ban oil and gas extraction. France did so back in 2017. Costa Rica, Belize, and Denmark also have full or partial bans on oil and gas licensing and similar measures are under consideration in Spain.
UK will host the UN climate negotiations (COP-26) in 2021. The UK government must step up and lead by example.
Sign Oil Change International’s letter here.