Tories Plan to Maximise North Sea Oil and Gas Extraction

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to maximize the extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea, signaling a major shift away from the UK's current net zero climate commitments. She plans to overhaul the North Sea Transition Authority, removing the word 'transition' and replacing its detailed mandate with a simple directive to prioritize fossil fuel extraction. Badenoch argues that leaving these resources untapped is economically absurd, especially as neighboring countries like Norway continue to exploit the same reserves. The Conservatives intend to scrap emission reduction requirements and other environmental restrictions on the oil and gas sector, viewing them as burdens that harm economic growth and energy security. This stance contrasts sharply with the current Labour government’s commitment to a net zero target by 2050 and its policy of banning new exploration licenses. Critics warn that increasing extraction will worsen the climate crisis, but Badenoch frames the move as necessary to end what she calls the "impossible ideology of net zero" and to put Britain's economic interests first.