Nearly 600 Experts Urge UK Prime Minister to Block Rosebank North Sea Drilling

A coalition of 575 climate scientists, health professionals and conservationists sent a letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh demanding that the government reject licensing for the Rosebank oil field, the largest untapped reservoir in the North Sea. The group argues that authorising the project would run counter to established climate research and cause the UK to miss its national and international emission targets.

Rosebank’s revised plan estimates more than 250 million tonnes of greenhouse-gas emissions, equivalent to about 70 % of the country’s yearly output, and a damage valuation of £119-£336 billion versus a £28.7 billion economic benefit claimed by developer Adura. The scientists cite recent extreme weather costs of over £4.4 billion and contend the development would not lower domestic energy prices or enhance security, as most oil and gas would be exported.

Signatories such as Emeritus Professor Joanna Haigh, Professor Elizabeth Robinson and Professor Paul Behrens call the approval a threat to public health and national security. An Energy Department spokesperson said the decision will consider all evidence, emphasizing the continued role of North Sea oil and gas alongside a clean-energy transition.