U.K. Mulls Energy-Security Exemption for North Sea Climate Rules
- Permits for new fields could take geopolitics into account
- Europe is urgently looking for alternatives to Russian oil
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The U.K government is considering changing the rules that govern the award of new permits for North Sea oil and gas fields, taking into account security of energy supply as well as carbon-emissions targets.
Officials are looking at amending the proposed Climate Compatibility Checkpoints, which would ensure new fossil fuel projects only go ahead if they are in line with the country’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, said a person familiar with the matter. They could either relax the rules and allow new drilling for geopolitical and national security reasons, or give ministers the power to grant exemptions on those grounds, the person said, asking not to be named because the information isn’t public.