LONDON: Britain's government announced Wednesday it had approved plans to begin drilling in a controversial gas field in the North Sea, ending months of speculation about the future of the divisive project.
The decision to allow drilling in the Jackdaw field, about 150 miles (240 kilometres) east of Aberdeen was welcomed by industry groups but criticised by environmentalists who said it would worsen carbon emissions.
The government, which has faced calls from US President Donald Trump for more drilling of fossil fuels in UK waters, suggested it would help boost energy security amid price shocks from the Iran war.
Labour Prime Minister Andy Burnham said unlocking Jackdaw would "protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm this winter".
"At a time when people are really struggling, it's right that we look in a responsible way at maximising the existing energy reserves we have in Britain that could help," he said.
"We're committed to moving towards renewable energy and reaching net zero by 2050. But even on our ambitious climate path, we'll still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come.
"That's why we're taking a pragmatic approach to the North Sea," Burnham added.
The issue has divided the Labour party, pitting its ambitions over net zero climate emissions against pressure to boost domestic energy supplies and ease surging household bills.
Labour promised when returning to power in 2024 -- under former leader Keir Starmer -- not to issue any new oil and gas drilling licences as it sought to steer Britain away from fossil fuels towards cleaner renewable energy.
Supporters argue that neither Jackdaw, nor the Rosebank field -- which mainly contains oil and lies west of the Shetland Islands -- are new fossil fuel sites.
The previous Conservative government approved drilling at Jackdaw, which already has infrastructure in place, and at Rosebank before both sites became the subject of a lengthy legal battles.
A Scottish court ruled last year that the approvals failed to consider the carbon emissions the projects would indirectly generate, meaning both must reapply.
Adura, the company managing both sites, says the fields could deliver around 6% of the UK's gas production in the North Sea.
Additionally, the sites can contribute more than £28 billion (US$38 billion) to the nation's economy, supporting over 3,500 jobs, it says.
James Earl, chief executive of Future Energy Networks, welcomed Jackdaw's approval, saying that "at a time of global instability, gas produced at home strengthens Britain's energy security".
Critics argue that UK consumers will see no difference in their electricity bills, as gas and oil costs are determined by international market prices.
Greenpeace said the approval showed "the toxic grip fossil fuel lobbyists still hold over our energy policy".
"True pragmatism means severing our reliance on expensive oil and gas that leaves British households broke, supercharges extreme weather, and leaves our energy security at the mercy of petrostates," said the environmental group's Ami McCarthy.
Britain's energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh has said that a decision on Rosebank will take "a bit longer".