Approval of Rosebank oil field highlights UK Planet Wrecker status

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

Contact: 

Nicole Rodel, Oil Change International – nicole@priceofoil.org

Approval of Rosebank oil field highlights UK Planet Wrecker status

27 September 2023 – Today, the UK Government approved the development of Equinor’s controversial Rosebank oil field. This comes after widespread opposition across the UK and Norway, including 700 scientists, 200 organisations and celebrities, 40 MEPs and MPs from every major political party.

Only yesterday, the International Energy Agency’s 2023 Net Zero Roadmap report reaffirmed that world leaders must not develop new oil, gas, or coal beyond existing fields – and some existing fields and infrastructure will need to be closed early.

According to recent Oil Change International analysis, the UK is among five global north countries that are posed to be responsible for the majority of new oil and gas extraction to 2050. Extracting just the fossil fuels from existing sites globally would result in 140% more carbon pollution than the allowed budget for 1.5°C. If countries like the UK proceed with new extraction, committed carbon pollution from fossil fuel production will be 190% over the 1.5°C budget, risking locking in more than a dangerous 2°C of warming, and an unlivable future for all.

Silje Ask Lundberg, North Sea Program Manager at Oil Change International said: “The science could not be more clear: there is no room for a single drop of oil from new fields. In our recent report “Planet Wreckers” we showed how the UK is one of the five rich Global North countries responsible for 51% of planned new oil and gas extraction globally to 2050, and blatantly ignoring the calls to rapidly phase out fossil fuels. The fact that the UK Government has approved the biggest undeveloped field in the UK, and coming just one week after the Government’s weakening of its net zero policies, is proof positive it is siding with oil and gas giants over a liveable future for all.”