The United Kingdom has allowed gas extraction off the coast of Scotland despite environmentalists' protests
Kyiv • UNN
The UK government has approved the development of the Jackdaw field in the North Sea despite environmentalists' protests. Production is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
The UK government has approved the development of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland, despite objections from environmental organizations and a previous court ruling. Natural gas production is expected to begin in the coming weeks. Finnish broadcaster Yle reports this, citing the Associated Press, UNN writes.
Details
The British authorities explained the decision by citing the need to strengthen the country's energy security during the gradual transition to renewable energy sources.
At the same time, the project has sparked heated controversy in the United Kingdom. Environmental activists and some representatives of the ruling Labour Party have opposed the new gas extraction.
Court previously ruled that the extraction permit was illegal
In 2025, a court in Edinburgh ruled that the project's previous approval was illegal. The reason was that, when assessing the environmental impact, the government had not taken into account the carbon dioxide emissions that would result from burning the extracted fuel.
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After an additional review, Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh granted permission to implement the project on October 21, 2026.
On the same day, activists from the Fossil Free London movement held a protest in London against drilling in the North Sea. They called on the government to abandon the expansion of fossil fuel extraction because of its impact on the climate.