Badenoch to pledge to extract oil, gas from North Sea: Telegraph

Badenoch to pledge to extract oil, gas from North Sea: Telegraph

In a significant shift in energy policy, Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, has pledged to maximize the extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea. This announcement comes ahead of her speech in Aberdeen, where she will outline plans to overhaul the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA).

Badenoch's plan involves scrapping the current 12-page mandate that guides the NSTA and replacing it with a simple order to extract the maximum possible amount of fossil fuels. She argues that Britain is leaving vital resources untapped while neighboring countries like Norway are extracting them from the same seabed. Badenoch also contends that Britain has already decarbonized more than any other major economy since 1990, yet faces some of the highest energy prices in the developed world. This, she believes, is not sustainable and must be addressed [1].

The Conservative leader's stance contrasts with the government's commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050, which involves shifting the North Sea industry away from fossil fuels. Badenoch's plan aligns more with the "drill baby drill" ethos, similar to the approach taken by former U.S. President Donald Trump. This approach aims to extract more oil and gas from American soil [1].

Campaigners and climate experts have expressed concerns about the environmental impact of this policy. Stop Rosebank, a group calling for an end to the oil and gas field west of Shetland approved by the Tory government, warns that the field could produce more carbon monoxide than the 28 poorest countries do in a year. A report from UCL in June also warned that opening new oil and gas fields would make it harder for the UK to achieve its Paris Agreement goals to limit global warming to well below 2C, preferably to 1.5C [1].

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has acknowledged the importance of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources for the UK's energy security. She has emphasized that the government is investing in clean homegrown energy, such as the Berwick Bank project in Scotland, which will create thousands of new jobs and power millions of homes [1].

Ed Miliband, the energy and net zero secretary, has accused the Conservatives of being "anti-science" by abandoning the political consensus on net zero. He cited a Met Office-led study that detailed how the UK is already hotter and wetter and faces a greater number of extreme weather events [2].

In conclusion, Badenoch's pledge to maximize North Sea oil and gas extraction represents a significant shift in energy policy. While it aims to boost economic growth and energy security, it also raises concerns about the environmental impact and the UK's commitment to Net Zero goals.

References:
[1] https://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/kemi-badenoch-tories-north-sea-oil-net-zero-b2817169.html
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/30/tories-would-maximise-north-sea-oil-and-gas-extraction-badenoch-expected-to-say