Sunak insists new oil and gas extraction licences 'climate compatible'

Rishi Sunak has insisted granting more than a hundred new licences for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea is “entirely consistent” with the UK’s net-zero commitments – despite climate campaigners branding the move “wrongheaded”.

The Prime Minister flew to Aberdeenshire to announce Government support for future oil and gas licensing rounds, though he refused to say if the controversial Rosebank field to the west of Shetland would get the green light for development.

Sunak also confirmed backing for two further carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, including the Acorn project in Aberdeenshire.

This, and the Viking project in the Humber, will become the third and fourth such schemes to get Government funding, with Sunak saying these would help see the UK “speeding our path to net zero”.

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