UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s pledge to make North Sea oil and gas extraction a “cornerstone” of the British economy has drawn criticism from energy experts and environmental groups, who argue the focus should be on accelerating the transition to renewable energy.
Speaking at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Offshore Europe conference in Aberdeen, Badenoch outlined a strategy aimed at boosting domestic fossil fuel production, citing recent developments in Norway as a model.
“We have the same opportunity to invest in our own energy, to power our own homes, to protect our sovereignty, yet instead we are importing oil and gas from abroad while banned from extracting it at home. We are sabotaging ourselves,” Badenoch said.
She added: “Labour sees the North Sea as a relic of the past; we don’t. We see it as a cornerstone of Britain’s future. By restoring common sense to energy policy, we will unlock billions in revenue, we will secure our supply, and we will rebuild confidence in the UK economy.”
However, critics have questioned the economic and environmental rationale of prioritising oil and gas development at a time when global investment is shifting toward clean energy.
RenewableUK executive policy director Ana Musat said the UK’s future energy security lies in scaling up domestic renewable power.
“Electricity demand is set to surge in the UK over the next five to 10 years, with more electric vehicles, data centres and heat pumps coming online,” she said. “The best way to meet this demand is to scale up on renewables as fast as possible, as clean power projects generate electricity at stable and predictable prices.”
Musat added that while the UK once relied heavily on North Sea oil and gas, remaining reserves are limited. “We can no longer rely on them to meet our growing power needs,” she said.
Ed Matthew, UK programme director at independent think tank E3G, described Badenoch’s proposal as “highly irresponsible.”
“Prioritising oil and gas extraction, which is in terminal decline in the North Sea, as the ‘cornerstone’ of the UK economy would be an economic act of monumental self-harm,” he said. “If Kemi Badenoch was truly interested in economic growth, energy independence and bringing down bills, she would today be backing a plan to maximise extraction of the UK’s abundant renewables resource, including offshore wind.”
Green Alliance executive director Shaun Spiers also warned that a strategy focused on maximising fossil fuel extraction could undermine future investment in clean technologies.
“Kemi Badenoch is playing games with people’s future jobs if she plans to extract every last drop of the North Sea’s declining oil and gas reserves,” he said. “Twice as much investment went into clean energy than oil and gas last year globally, according to the International Energy Agency.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, under the current Labour government, defended its existing approach focused on diversification and long-term sustainability.
“We are already delivering a fair and orderly transition in the North Sea to drive growth and secure skilled jobs for future generations,” the spokesperson said. “We are committed to delivering the manifesto commitment to not issue new licences to explore new fields because they will not take a penny off bills, cannot make us energy secure, and will only accelerate the worsening climate crisis.”
