Yesterday 05:41 PM
https://observer.co.uk/news/national/art...th-sea-gas
INTRO: Andy Burnham and his team are braced to receive flak from several countries at the Cop31 UN climate talks this week, following the government’s decision to expand drilling for gas in the North Sea.
Diplomats from other countries have raised concerns about the Jackdaw gasfield and the ministerial decision-making over Rosebank in the North Atlantic, the largest reservoir of untapped fossil fuels in UK waters, seeking assurances that the UK remains committed to climate goals, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
The decision to expand drilling raises uncomfortable questions for Burnham as he joins more than 80,000 diplomats, business lobbyists and campaigners for the climate talks in the Turkish city of Antalya from 9-20 November. Human rights groups are also pressing Burnham to advocate for political prisoners when he meets Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the summit.
The annual negotiations are always a tough affair – pitting countries pushing for emissions cuts against stalwart defenders of fossil fuels, splitting rich nations from poor ones over flows of climate finance.
But this year, the UK faces accusations of making a U-turn from climate leadership over the decision to approve drilling. While Britain is urging other countries to accelerate the transition to clean energy, it is drawing on its own homegrown reserves of fossil fuels.
Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez, who was Panama’s special representative for climate change until July, told The Observer: “The UK has positioned itself as a forward-thinking progressive, climate-leaning power at a time when other powers have backed out. You cannot preach about fossil fuels and then start drilling.” IMORE - details)
INTRO: Andy Burnham and his team are braced to receive flak from several countries at the Cop31 UN climate talks this week, following the government’s decision to expand drilling for gas in the North Sea.
Diplomats from other countries have raised concerns about the Jackdaw gasfield and the ministerial decision-making over Rosebank in the North Atlantic, the largest reservoir of untapped fossil fuels in UK waters, seeking assurances that the UK remains committed to climate goals, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
The decision to expand drilling raises uncomfortable questions for Burnham as he joins more than 80,000 diplomats, business lobbyists and campaigners for the climate talks in the Turkish city of Antalya from 9-20 November. Human rights groups are also pressing Burnham to advocate for political prisoners when he meets Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the summit.
The annual negotiations are always a tough affair – pitting countries pushing for emissions cuts against stalwart defenders of fossil fuels, splitting rich nations from poor ones over flows of climate finance.
But this year, the UK faces accusations of making a U-turn from climate leadership over the decision to approve drilling. While Britain is urging other countries to accelerate the transition to clean energy, it is drawing on its own homegrown reserves of fossil fuels.
Juan Carlos Monterrey Gómez, who was Panama’s special representative for climate change until July, told The Observer: “The UK has positioned itself as a forward-thinking progressive, climate-leaning power at a time when other powers have backed out. You cannot preach about fossil fuels and then start drilling.” IMORE - details)