Kemi Badenoch pledges to scrap net zero rules
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has declared that, if elected, her party would remove all net zero obligations for North Sea oil and gas companies. Speaking ahead of a formal speech in Aberdeen on Tuesday, she said the government would focus entirely on “maximising extraction” to ensure the UK taps “all our oil and gas” from the North Sea.
Badenoch argued that current climate regulations inflate household energy bills. “Families are paying the price for these net zero measures,” she said.
Labour warns against environmental and economic costs
The Labour government, which has pledged to halt new exploration licenses, dismissed Badenoch’s claims. A spokesperson stated: “We won’t accept lectures from Kemi Badenoch. UK families and businesses have already suffered from the Conservatives’ failure to secure affordable energy.”
Government officials cautioned that opening new North Sea fields would not lower bills or boost energy security and would exacerbate the climate crisis.
Conservatives pivot on climate policy
Badenoch has indicated a major shift in Conservative climate policy, previously saying that achieving net zero by 2050 is “impossible.” UK law, established under Theresa May in 2019, requires emissions reductions in line with the Paris Agreement.
Her plan would remove mandates for emissions reductions and halt investment requirements in technologies like carbon capture. Badenoch criticized the UK for leaving resources untapped while neighboring countries, such as Norway, exploit the same North Sea reserves.
Industry trends and international context
Badenoch’s approach mirrors former US President Donald Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda, contrasting with initiatives like Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which invested heavily in clean energy. In 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued 100 new North Sea drilling licenses, claiming consistency with net zero targets.
Since then, major energy companies, including BP, have scaled back renewable investments to focus on oil and gas production for higher profits.
Environmental groups call plan “reckless”
Campaigners criticized the policy. Tessa Khan of Uplift said removing net zero rules would increase emissions, harm the environment, and benefit oil and gas firms without reducing energy costs.
Liberal Democrat spokesperson Tim Farron described scrapping emissions targets as “irresponsible environmental vandalism” and urged the UK to lead in offshore wind rather than fossil fuel dependency.
Climate data heightens urgency
2024 became the first year on record with global average temperatures exceeding 1.5°C, making it the hottest year since 1850, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service. The UK, along with 200 other countries, has committed to limiting warming to 1.5°C and keeping it “well below” 2°C under the Paris Agreement.
Scotland emphasizes responsible transition
Gillian Martin, Scotland’s energy secretary, stressed that planning for the North Sea’s decline is crucial, advocating a transition to sustainable energy that safeguards jobs and energy security.
Industry supports domestic energy production alongside renewables
David Whitehouse, CEO of Offshore Energies UK, said domestic oil and gas production should continue responsibly while renewables are expanded, noting the UK imports 40% of its energy needs.
The government highlighted record investments in offshore wind and carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, which trap CO₂ from industrial processes and store it underground, essential for achieving emission reduction targets.
Green Party MP Ellie Chowns argued that investment in green technologies represents the future of British growth and employment, framing renewable energy as the 21st-century solution.
