Adopt an unequivocal policy position against new oil and gas exploration or extraction in Scotland
While powers over offshore fossil fuel extraction remain reserved, this would show global leadership, influence others and inject urgency and focus on delivering a Just Transition and the most rapid and fair managed wind-down possible for fossil fuel production in Scotland.
There must be no new oil and gas exploration or developments if we are to achieve Paris Agreement climate goals and limit worsening climate impacts. Progress is being made in regulating North Sea oil and gas, with oil and gas developers now required to assess the climate impacts of their combustion emissions in their environmental impact assessments, thanks to the landmark Finch ruling last year. This applies to the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields following successful court rulings on the two field approvals. The UK government is also determining how they will implement their position of granting no new oil and gas licences.
Some studies have suggested 2034 as a target date to end oil and gas production. This could provide certainty to help communities, local authorities and businesses plan for the future. All devolved powers must be used to prioritise the creation of good jobs in renewables and energy efficiency and put in place strong safeguards for impacted workers transferring from oil and gas jobs to renewables and other work.
Demand reduction also forms a key part of any sustainable strategy for greater energy security, which is further enhanced by greater reliance on varied renewable resources rather than volatile fossil fuel markets. Concerns about energy security, resilience and affordability, driven by global events and the current cost-of-living crisis, are best addressed by an energy strategy that is based on demand reduction, clean energy and greater efficiency. A managed and just phase out of oil and gas forms an essential part of a sustainable long-term approach to embed this strategy. The geological reality of the North Sea basin, where reserves are increasingly expensive and difficult to extract, means that the UK will become increasingly reliant on energy imports despite any new production, until we have moved away from our reliance on fossil fuels. For example, new analysis found that the UK will no longer be able to meet heating demand using only domestically extracted gas by 2027, even if new fields are approved.
The many devolved powers to shift energy generation and energy consumption to as close to fully renewable as possible within the same timeframe must be used, and the ban on all forms of onshore oil and gas production, including fracking, should be maintained. At the same time, detailed assessments should be carried out to ensure renewable developments are not delivered at the expense of biodiversity.
For more information:
- Briefing: Debate on Net Zero and Energy, Uplift, 2025