The UK Government has issued hundreds of new licences for oil and gas drilling.
The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it would make “absolutely no sense” not to take advantage of its domestic fossil fuel resources.
The decision will prompt a backlash from climate change activists.
Mr Sunak said:
“Even when we reach net zero in 2050 a quarter of our energy needs will still come from oil and gas and domestic gas production has about a quarter or a third of the carbon footprint of imported gas.
“So, not only is it better for our energy security not to rely on foreign dictators for that energy, not only is it good for jobs, particularly Scottish jobs, it is actually better for the environment because there is no point in importing stuff from halfway around the world with two to three times the carbon footprint of the stuff we have got at home.
“That makes absolutely no sense.
“It is important that we increase homegrown sources of energy to improve our resilience but also that is good for Scottish in particular jobs in the UK.
“It is good for tax revenue as well which funds our public services and given we are going to need energy from fossil fuels for the foreseeable future as we transition to net zero, it makes no sense not to use the resources that we have at home”.
