The UK government has approved an offshore natural gas project off the coast of Scotland, a move that comes as the Labour administration tries to balance climate targets against energy security concerns.
Speaking on Wednesday, Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said the Jackdaw gas field will begin supplying power to British households later this month and will help strengthen the country's energy security.
According to the government, the North Sea project will boost UK gas output by around 6% at peak.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the decision would "protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm," stressing that the project does not stand in the way of the government's renewable energy goals.
On the same day, the government also announced the New Energy Prosperity Fund, which will invest in renewable and low-carbon energy projects as part of the green transition.
The fund was set up with initial capital of £2 billion (around $2.7 billion), along with plans to raise more through tax revenue from North Sea oil and gas.
Energy prices have climbed amid the Russia-Ukraine war and the US-Israel conflict with Iran, putting pressure on households and businesses and weighing on the UK economy.
In an interview with UK radio station LBC, Minister Fahnbulleh said developing the Jackdaw field will not lower household energy bills.
"I think what's really important is that we're honest about this," Fahnbulleh said.
"That is not a factor in this decision, because it won't mean cheaper bills. This is about energy security."
The statement drew criticism from left-wing politicians and environmental groups.
Zack Polanski, leader of the opposition Green Party, described the decision as "climate vandalism."
"It's bizarre to hear the Energy Minister try to claim this is a 'pragmatic decision,'" Polanski wrote on X.
"It won't cut bills. It will deliver huge profits for oil and gas companies. And it will keep pushing us further down the road to floods and wildfires."
Environmental organization Greenpeace said the decision showed "the toxic grip that the fossil fuel lobby still holds over our energy policy."
"Real pragmatism means breaking our dependence on expensive oil and gas — the very thing that is bleeding British households dry, worsening extreme weather and leaving our energy security at the mercy of oil- and gas-producing nations," said Ami McCarthy, politics lead at Greenpeace UK.
