LONDON (AP) 鈥� The British government opened a new licensing round for North Sea oil and gas exploration Friday despite criticism from environmentalists and scientists who say the move undermines the country鈥檚 commitment to fighting .
The Conservative government argues that extracting more fossil fuels from the North Sea will create jobs and strengthen U.K. energy security, and is less environmentally harmful than importing gas and oil from abroad.
鈥淚 know it sounds contradictory 鈥� but it鈥檚 actually good for the environment,鈥� Climate Minister Graham Stuart said.
鈥淲hen we burn our own gas, it鈥檚 got lower emissions around its production than foreign gas 鈥� as well as supporting British jobs,鈥� he told the BBC.
Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine has pushed gas and electricity prices higher and squeezed energy supplies across Europe, prompting on securing new sources.
The organization that oversees the U.K.鈥檚 electricity grid has said that planned blackouts might be needed if the gas-fired power plants that produce 43% of Britain鈥檚 electricity can鈥檛 get enough gas to continue operating.
The U.K. last saw planned blackouts in the 1970s, during an international oil crisis and a series of coal miners鈥� strikes.
The North Sea Transition Authority, or NSTA, said almost 900 new exploration blocks and partial blocks of the North Sea are available, with up to 100 licenses likely to be issued. Priority will be given to four areas off the east coast of England that are known to contain hydrocarbons and are close to existing infrastructure.
The government and fossil fuel industry say drilling for more oil and gas would not undermine Britain鈥檚 pledge to cut its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
鈥淪ecurity of supply and net zero should not be in conflict,鈥� NSTA chief executive Andy Samuel said. 鈥淭he industry has committed to halving upstream emissions by 2030 and investing heavily in electrification, carbon storage and hydrogen.鈥�
Environmentalists say the only way to limit global warming to the internationally approved target of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels is to stop extracting fossil fuels.
鈥淭he government鈥檚 claim that burning ever more fossil fuels from the North Sea will help the U.K. meet its international obligations to become net-zero by 2050 has no connection to reality,鈥� U.K. Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said.
鈥淲e truly have stepped through the looking glass.鈥�
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Jill Lawless, The Associated Press
