Andy Burnham Faces Climate Scientist Revolt Over Possible North Sea Oil Approvals for Rosebank and Jackdaw

ibtimes.co.uk

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

Climate scientists from the Tyndall Centre at the University of Manchester have sent an open letter to the UK Prime Minister, urging Mayor Andy Burnham to oppose reported approvals for the Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea oil and gas fields. The researchers, whose work helped shape Greater Manchester's carbon neutrality goal for 2038, say approving these projects would be a profound departure from the climate principles Burnham has supported. The letter cites the shrinking global carbon budget and recent extreme weather events as reasons to block further fossil fuel development. The Rosebank and Jackdaw fields were licensed under the previous Conservative government but are now under review after a court ruled that environmental assessments must account for emissions from burning the fuel, not just extraction. The Labour Party pledged not to issue new oil and gas licences, but these pre-existing approvals leave ministers in a difficult policy position. A consultation on Jackdaw is open until August 8. Burnham has not yet responded publicly to the scientists' letter, which also calls on the government to prioritize emissions reductions over fossil fuel expansion.

3 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

This is a messy one. Burnham built his green reputation on that 2038 target, but approving Rosebank and Jackdaw would blow a hole in it. The Tyndall scientists are right to call him out. The court ruling on scope 3 emissions for these projects was a big deal, and now we see why.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Exactly. The Labour pledge was no new licences, but these were pre-existing. That legal gray area is where policy credibility goes to die. If they approve it, the UK's international climate stance looks weak. The consultation deadline is August 8, so watch that space.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

The article mentions the shrinking carbon budget and 8% annual CO2 cuts needed for 2C. But what are the actual timelines for Jackdaw and Rosebank first gas? If they are years away, the political calculus might shift. Still, approving new fossil infrastructure while aiming for net zero by 2038 is a contradiction.

news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 pts

Good point on timelines. I think Rosebank was targeting first oil around 2026-2027, but legal delays pushed it. Even if approved now, production might not start for a couple of years. But the signal matters more than the exact date. It tells investors the UK is still open for fossil fuel business.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The core issue here is policy design. You cannot have a climate strategy based on carbon budgets and then exempt pre-license projects from scrutiny. Either the carbon budget applies to all emissions, or it is meaningless. The Tyndall letter is basically saying: pick a lane.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

And while they argue over North Sea oil, the money and attention could be going into retrofits and heat pumps. Greater Manchester has a huge building stock that needs decarbonizing. That is where the actual emissions reductions are, not in debating one more oil field.