The Environmental Audit Committee, a cross-party committee of MPs has published its report on Accelerating the transition from fossil fuels and securing energy supplies.
The Weald Action Group welcomes the report’s emphasis and focus on demand side measures such as energy efficiency and energy saving measures which will be absolutely crucial in reducing emissions, ensuring energy security and saving consumers money. This emphasis is wholly lacking in the Government’s own Energy Security Strategy, which focuses on ramping up energy production including oil and gas at the expense of delivering a safe and liveable climate.
However, the report’s recommendation that the Government merely consult on setting a date for ending new oil and gas licensing rounds in the North Sea and that this should fall well before 2050 is completely inadequate.
Kirsty Clough of the Weald Action Group says: “There must be an immediate moratorium placed on new offshore and onshore oil and gas development now. The further exploitation of UK oil and gas reserves will not relieve short term supply constraints; will perpetuate our dependence on fossil fuels thereby continuing to expose us to fluctuating global oil and gas prices; and, in the absence of a worldwide cap on fossil fuel extraction, will contribute to the climate crisis.”
The Government has two months to respond to the report.
Read more:
Accelerating the transition from fossil fuels and securing energy supplies, the EAC’s report (5 January 2023)
The Weald Action Group’s submission to the Inquiry (May 2022)
MPs call for ban on oil and gas industry flaring by 2025, Report by drillordrop.com (5 January 2023)