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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Helena Horton Environment reporter

North Sea plan allows drilling while enabling Labour to keep ‘no new licences’ pledge

Claymore oil drilling platform in the North Sea
Claymore drilling platform in the North Sea off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland. Photograph: Simon Price/Alamy

The energy secretary, Ed Miliband, has returned from the Cop30 climate conference in Brazil, where he championed the UK’s world-leading promise to ban all new oil and gas licences and backed the call for a blueprint to “transition away from fossil fuels”.

Back at home, the government says it is sticking to its manifesto pledge by becoming the first major economy to have a 1.5C- and climate science-aligned no new licences position, but it plans to allow some new drilling in oil and gas fields that have existing licenses.

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