UK approves new drilling in the Jackdaw North Sea gasfield

Summary

Andy Burnham and energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh approved new drilling in the Jackdaw gasfield on Wednesday, ahead of the November Cop climate summit. The Guardian's editorial argues the gasfield will deliver minimal benefits for households and sends a dismal signal before Cop. It notes a UN Environment Programme report this week concluded that the 1.5C warming limit in the Paris agreement is no longer achievable, and that governments must deliver short-term cuts in fossil fuel use. The prime minister defended the decision as a pragmatic move at a time when people are really struggling, which the editorial rejects.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   21 Oct 2026, 17:54 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian's editorial argues that approving new drilling in the Jackdaw gasfield will deliver minimal household benefits and sends a dismal signal before the November Cop summit.