Reaction to launch of Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance

"It is disappointing that the UK Government has not signed up to this welcome initiative. The UK may have led the way on committing to net zero emissions, but it must now address the epic contradiction of continuing to grant oil and gas licences in the North Sea.

“The International Energy Agency is clear that there is no room for new fossil fuel production if we are to limit global heating to 1.5°C, and that new production must immediately cease in industrialised countries that have historically benefited from extraction.

"The success of this initiative will depend on which governments sign up and whether industrialised countries, that have grown rich from decades of extracting and burning fossil fuels, lead the way. The Prime Minister has promoted the many benefits and opportunities of low-carbon technologies and jobs; committing to phase out polluting fuels is the logical next step."

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to be drawn on why the UK was not signing up to BOGA during a press conference at COP26 in Glasgow last night
• The Beyond Oil & Gas Alliance (BOGA) was announced in September 2021 and is being officially launched today at the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow, UK.
• The International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook 2021 said that "no new oil and gas fields are required beyond those already approved for development" under its Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario