Recommendation 32

The UK Government showed admirable international climate leadership at COP26 in Glasgow, pushing for a renewed resolve to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. When making decisions about future oil and gas licensing, the UK Government must also consider the international context. As the country which launched the first Industrial Revolution, the UK has a historic responsibility to set a leadership example on climate change. The Paris Agreement enshrined an important principle of ‘equity and common but differentiated responsibilities’, which the UK must honour if it is to remain a credible climate leader. We therefore recommend that the UK set a clear date for ending new oil and gas licensing rounds in the North Sea: this date should fall well before 2050. We further recommend the Government should consult on what this date should be, based on the oil and gas production currently being planned by the UK and other producer states and on the remaining global carbon budget if temperatures are to be limited to 1.5°C..