Amid calls for an unexpected tax on oil and gas companies, senior Tories argued that the gains of the fossil fuel giants needed to be protected so that they could invest in getting “every last drop” from the North Sea. “We want to get more oil from the North Sea, we want to get more gas from the North Sea,” the Brexit opportunities minister told LBC on Monday. “We have to think about extracting every last cubic inch of gas from the North Sea.” Mr Rees-Mogg’s remarks sparked outrage from climate activists as he dismissed warnings that a new push for fossil fuels would ruin the UK’s chances of achieving zero by 2050. “2050 is a long way off,” said Rees-Mogg. “We are not trying to become a clean zero tomorrow. We will need fossil fuels in between. It should be ours that we have available “. Green MP Caroline Lucas told the Independent: “The cat finally came out of the bag. “This government’s sad excuse for new drilling in the North Sea – that we would need it for the ‘transition’ in the coming decades – is clearly just a facade to protect its fossil fuel comrades.” Ms Lucas said: “When this government seeks to extract every last drop of oil and every last cubic meter of gas, it risks destroying every last glimmer of hope we have to avoid the catastrophic future we are heading for.” It comes as No. 10 has confirmed that Boris Johnson’s “energy security strategy” will finally be released on Thursday after a series of delays. The Independent understands that the government will reaffirm its support for a new round of exploration licenses in the North Sea. The prime minister said last month that he wanted to “remove obstacles” to rising fossil fuel production in the North Sea following rising energy prices and a desire to end dependence on Russian gas. Separately, six projects in the North Sea are expected to be approved by the oil and gas regulator. However, activists have warned that plans to approve new drilling sites will “launch” the UK’s clear zero climate target. Opposing Labor, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and the Greens for an unexpected tax on oil and gas, the government has argued that allowing companies to maintain record profits will help them invest more in renewable energy. However, Mr Rees-Mogg suggested that companies should be protected so that they could invest more in fossil fuel drilling. “Keep in mind that they are already heavily taxed,” he told LBC. He added: “If they do not get these profits in the future… [it] will make marginal, new wells less attractive – so they will leave the investment. They will not even look for the existing fossil fuels “. Philip Evans, an oil and gas activist for Greenpeace UK, condemned the Brexit minister for wanting to “double” fossil fuels, adding: “This is very foolish, as it takes an average of 28 years to bring new oil and gas fields to the internet. . » He added: “Even then, the oil and gas extracted do not stay in the UK, they are mostly sold in international markets to the highest bidder without doing anything for the UK household bills.” Asked about Mr Rees-Mogg’s comments on “every last drop”, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “It is certainly true that domestic oil and gas will play an important role in the transition to zero.” Greenpeace UK chief scientist Dr. Doug Parr says the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) – which warns that global emissions must be reduced by 2025 to avoid dangerous climate change showed why fossil fuel drilling must stop. Dr Parr said Mr Johnson’s strategy for energy supply was now “on a collision course” with the IPPC’s advice to dramatically reduce fossil fuel use. The government’s future plans for energy supply have been repeatedly delayed amid reports of controversy in the cabinet. Mr Johnson is expected to bow to pressure from Torres lawmakers to block new onshore wind farms, with No. 10 indicating that strict planning restrictions will remain in place. Mr Rees-Mogg said he was “very much in favor of nuclear power” – arguing that it was a more consistent form of energy supply than wind energy. The cabinet minister also described the idea of reopening the shale gas fracking sites as “quite an interesting opportunity” – comparing the fracking threat to “a rock fall into an unused coal mine”. Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, said the UK needed an appropriate energy strategy from the government instead of going “head to head” with dictators who preside over fossil fuel supplies. Asked by broadcasters if Jonathan Reynolds, the shadow business secretary, was right when he said at the weekend that the country needed to prepare for the energy bill, Sir Keir said: “We do not need an energy bill.” The Labor leader added: “We need an energy strategy. “And going from one dictator to Russia for your oil and gas, with the lid on another dictator in Saudi Arabia, is not an energy strategy.” “We need a strategy that is rapidly being promoted for renewables and nuclear power, by modifying it so that we can really keep our homes and homes warmer; we do not have it from this government,” said Sir Keir.
