As stated by the Minister of Business and Energy, Jacob Rees-Mogg, at the opening of the negotiation round, the granting of 100 new permits to operate in 898 blocks will support energy security and the country’s economy.

Ensuring our energy independence means harnessing the full potential of our resources in the North Sea to increase domestic production, the official said, noting that producing gas in the UK leaves a lower carbon footprint than if imported from abroad. .

The North Sea Transition Authority announced, for its part, that the bidding process for areas close to existing wells will be carried out as soon as possible, with the aim of shortening the time between prospecting and the start of production. .

The granting of new oil licenses, however, defies warnings made by global bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency that implementing new oil projects is incompatible with efforts to curb global warming.

The British branch of the environmental organization Greenpeace announced, in turn, that it would seek ways to file a lawsuit in court and try to stop the opening of new oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

This government energy policy only benefits companies that trade in fossil fuels, and does not benefit anyone else, says Philip Evans of Greenpeace UK.

Activists also argue that the new tender will not help reduce the electricity and gas bills of families struggling to pay for services this winter, nor will it provide energy security in the medium term.

New licenses, and above all, more fossil fuels, will not solve the problem, but will exacerbate the climate crisis, Evans said.

Britain pledged last year to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 as part of its commitment to halting climate change, but the government said in late September it would review the plan, with the aim of also ensuring economic growth and energy security.

rgh/nm