Overview

• The government issued new environmental rules defining how emissions from end-use production must be factored into North Sea oil and gas approvals
• Shell and Equinor can now resubmit applications for the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields after Scottish courts ruled earlier consents failed to consider full carbon impacts
• Energy Secretary Ed Miliband will assess each licence on a case-by-case basis, balancing environmental harms with economic benefits and energy security
• Industry groups say the clarity on Scope 3 assessments could unlock multiple stalled projects in UK waters and support thousands of jobs across the supply chain
• Environmental campaigners warn that greenlighting new drilling under these rules risks undermining Britain’s net zero commitments even as gas import dependency rises