Key facts
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed to uphold the UK's net zero 2050 target.
- The government approved the Jackdaw gasfield.
- Burnham stated he would not approve new North Sea oil and gas licenses.
- Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh holds the sole decision-making power on the Rosebank oilfield approval.
- An Energy Wealth Fund is being established to channel North Sea tax revenues into clean energy programs.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asserted the UK's unwavering commitment to its net zero 2050 target, even as the government approved the Jackdaw gasfield. Burnham stated he would not issue new North Sea licenses and emphasized the urgency of climate action, referencing the country's hottest summer on record and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh asserted her sole authority in deciding the fate of the Rosebank oilfield, signaling a potential disagreement with the Treasury, which expects revenues from oil and gas to fund a new energy wealth fund. Fahnbulleh expressed concern over the erosion of cross-party consensus on climate issues.