UK PM Weighs Approval for North Sea Oil and Gas Projects Amid Climate and Energy Debates

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is deciding whether oil and gas companies should be allowed to drill in the North Sea. Burnham's government faces heavy pressure from climate campaigners and businesses over the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects in waters north of Scotland. British officials have been expected to make a decision since August, when public consultations on the projects closed.

Rosebank is an oil field that will also produce gas, located 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Scotland's Shetland Islands. Rosebank is estimated to be the U.K.'s largest undeveloped oil and gas field. Rosebank reportedly has capacity to produce 300 million to 500 million barrels of oil within about 25 years. Jackdaw is a gas field 150 miles east of Aberdeen on Scotland's northeast coast. Production at Jackdaw was expected to last under a decade. The Shell Group, a Jackdaw co-developer, predicts that the field can account for around 6.5% of U.K. gas production at its peak. The opposition Conservative Party said Jackdaw could start heating 1.4 million U.K. homes this winter if approved.

The former Conservative government approved production at both sites, which were scheduled to start operations later this year. However, a court in Edinburgh ruled last year that the approvals were unlawful following a legal challenge from Greenpeace and another nonprofit. Judge Andrew Stewart ruled that the public interest in lawful authorities and the public's private interest in climate change outweighed developers' private interests.

Environmental groups have urged Burnham to refuse permission, arguing that the projects would accelerate climate change. The U.K., like the rest of Europe, faces record extreme heat linked to human actions, including burning coal, oil and gas. Critics argue that Britain's North Sea reserves are small and would make little difference to energy bills because international markets determine prices. Critics contend that new developments would increase carbon emissions without contributing to Britain's energy security. Analysts at the London-based nonprofit Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit estimated that more than 90% of the oil and gas likely to be produced from the North Sea has already been extracted. Almost 600 climate and health experts wrote to the government last month, arguing that approval would breach the U.K.'s national and international climate commitments.

Critics have also raised concerns about Rosebank's links to Israel's Delek Group, which activists say profited from Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Green Party leader Zach Polanski and other critics have asked how the U.K. can ensure production revenue does not finance the settlements.

Opposition politicians, the oil and gas industry and U.S. President Donald Trump have pressed Burnham to approve the projects. Those supporters argue that approval would protect jobs, cut household bills and improve Britain's energy security. Supporters of further drilling say drilling will not significantly affect emissions and is vital for protecting jobs. Some supporters argue that domestic production will produce fewer carbon emissions than importing oil and gas. The Conservatives warned that Britain risks importing 82% of its gas by 2035 without new production, exposing households to every global market shock.

The governing Labour Party is split on the issue. Some Labour members warned that approval would break the party's 2024 manifesto pledge not to issue new licenses for North Sea oil and gas exploration. However, lawmaker Graeme Downie said investment will leave the U.K., jobs will disappear and expertise will be lost unless Jackdaw and Rosebank proceed.

The issue became more politicized after Trump intervened. Trump criticized former Prime Minister Keir Starmer's energy policies. Trump claimed in August that people in Aberdeen were "dancing in the streets" following reports that Burnham would approve new drilling. Burnham reportedly told Trump during the leaders' first phone call that the U.K. "can't ignore" North Sea resources. Burnham reportedly added that Burnham would take "a pragmatic approach" to further drilling.

Britain's government declined to comment directly, saying only that the North Sea "remains a vital national asset." The energy security department said any decision will consider all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received through the regulatory process.