CLIMATE activists have staged a major demonstration over "outrageous" reports that the Jackdaw gas field off the coast of Aberdeen will be approved.
Earlier this week, Labour Government sources said the project could be given the green light as soon as this month, according to the BBC and the Guardian.
The Guardian also reports that Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh is likely to approve the Rosebank oil field in the coming months, although the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) declined to comment "on speculation".
Both projects were approved by the last Conservative government but were struck down by the courts after a challenge from environmental campaigners, with ministers told they had not fully considered their environmental impact.
On Saturday, activists from Fossil Free London staged an emergency demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament calling on the UK Government to end the approval of new oil and gas developments in the North Sea.
Activists could be seen carrying banners and waving placards which read "Jackdaw is climate arson", "the fossil fuel era is over", "Jackdaw is a dead end" and "Jackdaw: Burnham's betrayal".
They pointed towards the fact the UK has just seen its hottest summer on record, amid growing scrutiny over the Labour Government's commitment to tackling the climate emergency.
Fossil Free London director Robin Wells commented: “This is beyond outrageous. We’ve just lived through the most extreme heat any of us have ever experienced in the UK, and this government thinks the answer is to dig up more fossil fuels.
“They have been warned. They know the climate consequences. They know that new oil and gas is incompatible with a safe future, and yet they appear ready to approve Jackdaw anyway.
“What the hell is the point of talking about climate leadership while handing the fossil fuel industry permission to keep drilling? This isn’t leadership. It’s a betrayal.”
Jackdaw and Rosebank are operated by Adura, a joint venture between Shell and Norwegian energy firm Equinor.
Adura says Jackdaw could produce 6% of the UK’s gas output at its peak, although environmental groups put the figure at 2%.
Friends of the Earth Scotland has urged the UK Government not to “cave in to fossil fuel company pressure”.
The group previously warned that the burning of more fossil fuels would worsen extreme climate change-related events such as heatwaves.
A DESNZ spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation. The North Sea remains a vital national asset and oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come – alongside transitioning to clean power to protect jobs and tackle the climate crisis.
"Any decision will take into account all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received during the consultation process."
