SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
Environmental campaigners from Friends of the Earth protest outside the U.K. government building in Edinburgh to demand the U.K. government reverse its decision to approve Shell's Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea and instead move away from fossil fuels, on June 2, 2022. (Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Images via Getty Images)
Climate activists in the U.K. announced emergency protests in London and Edinburgh for Thursday in response to the government's regulatory approval of Shell's new Jackdaw gas drilling project in the North Sea.
"Approving Jackdaw was a desperate and destructive move from [Prime Minister] Boris Johnson's government," said Greenpeace U.K., declaring its intention to "fight back and stop" the gasfield including through possible legal action.
Greenpeace was among the groups expressing outrage after Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Wednesday that Jackdaw received final regulatory approval.
\u201cAbsolutely appalling decision with dire consequences! \n\nBut we won't let it go ahead. We will #StopJackdaw. Until We Win! \n\nMassive rallies already planned tomorrow:\n\ud83d\udccdLondon @ BEIS\n\ud83d\udccdEdinburgh @ Queen Elizabeth House\n\nTAKE ACTION NOW: https://t.co/C1bFjMmmmH\u201d— Tipping Point UK (@Tipping Point UK) 1654104533
The large project, initially rejected by regulators, could produce 6.5% of Britain's gas output, according to Shell, which said it plans to start production on the field in the second half of 2025.
"We're turbocharging renewables and nuclear, but we are also realistic about our energy needs now," Kwarteng tweeted. "Let's source more of the gas we need from British waters to protect energy security."
Green groups swiftly batted down the energy secretary's statements as both a flawed approach to helping Britons deal with high fuel prices and a decision that flies in the face of climate science.
Related Content
"It's atrocious," said the StopCambo campaign, "that even though the science is clear that we can't have new oil and gas projects, they're giving the green light to yet another climate wrecking project. But it's not over."
Organizers with the campaign announced a 6:00 pm rally Thursday outside the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial strategy in London to reject not only the Jackdaw project but all new fossil fuel infrastructure.
"A liveable planet is incompatible with new oil and gas projects. Full stop," the event description reads.
The regulatory approval "is a betrayal of millions of families struggling to pay skyrocketing energy bills who need help right now," it continues. "We need insulated homes, cheaper bills, and quicker and greener energy solutions that don't destroy our planet!"
Friends of the Earth Scotland organized an afternoon protest outside the U.K. government building in Edinburgh and urged regulators to urgently reverse the approval.
Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, accused the U.K. government of "pouring fuel on the fire of the social and climate crises by deepening our reliance on fossil fuels."
"Approving the Jackdaw field will do nothing to help people who face higher bills in the U.K. or to tackle the climate crisis," Church added. "The only people who benefit are executives and shareholders at Shell who are hellbent on destroying the planet for their own profit."
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Climate activists in the U.K. announced emergency protests in London and Edinburgh for Thursday in response to the government's regulatory approval of Shell's new Jackdaw gas drilling project in the North Sea.
"Approving Jackdaw was a desperate and destructive move from [Prime Minister] Boris Johnson's government," said Greenpeace U.K., declaring its intention to "fight back and stop" the gasfield including through possible legal action.
Greenpeace was among the groups expressing outrage after Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Wednesday that Jackdaw received final regulatory approval.
\u201cAbsolutely appalling decision with dire consequences! \n\nBut we won't let it go ahead. We will #StopJackdaw. Until We Win! \n\nMassive rallies already planned tomorrow:\n\ud83d\udccdLondon @ BEIS\n\ud83d\udccdEdinburgh @ Queen Elizabeth House\n\nTAKE ACTION NOW: https://t.co/C1bFjMmmmH\u201d— Tipping Point UK (@Tipping Point UK) 1654104533
The large project, initially rejected by regulators, could produce 6.5% of Britain's gas output, according to Shell, which said it plans to start production on the field in the second half of 2025.
"We're turbocharging renewables and nuclear, but we are also realistic about our energy needs now," Kwarteng tweeted. "Let's source more of the gas we need from British waters to protect energy security."
Green groups swiftly batted down the energy secretary's statements as both a flawed approach to helping Britons deal with high fuel prices and a decision that flies in the face of climate science.
Related Content
"It's atrocious," said the StopCambo campaign, "that even though the science is clear that we can't have new oil and gas projects, they're giving the green light to yet another climate wrecking project. But it's not over."
Organizers with the campaign announced a 6:00 pm rally Thursday outside the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial strategy in London to reject not only the Jackdaw project but all new fossil fuel infrastructure.
"A liveable planet is incompatible with new oil and gas projects. Full stop," the event description reads.
The regulatory approval "is a betrayal of millions of families struggling to pay skyrocketing energy bills who need help right now," it continues. "We need insulated homes, cheaper bills, and quicker and greener energy solutions that don't destroy our planet!"
Friends of the Earth Scotland organized an afternoon protest outside the U.K. government building in Edinburgh and urged regulators to urgently reverse the approval.
Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, accused the U.K. government of "pouring fuel on the fire of the social and climate crises by deepening our reliance on fossil fuels."
"Approving the Jackdaw field will do nothing to help people who face higher bills in the U.K. or to tackle the climate crisis," Church added. "The only people who benefit are executives and shareholders at Shell who are hellbent on destroying the planet for their own profit."
Climate activists in the U.K. announced emergency protests in London and Edinburgh for Thursday in response to the government's regulatory approval of Shell's new Jackdaw gas drilling project in the North Sea.
"Approving Jackdaw was a desperate and destructive move from [Prime Minister] Boris Johnson's government," said Greenpeace U.K., declaring its intention to "fight back and stop" the gasfield including through possible legal action.
Greenpeace was among the groups expressing outrage after Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Wednesday that Jackdaw received final regulatory approval.
\u201cAbsolutely appalling decision with dire consequences! \n\nBut we won't let it go ahead. We will #StopJackdaw. Until We Win! \n\nMassive rallies already planned tomorrow:\n\ud83d\udccdLondon @ BEIS\n\ud83d\udccdEdinburgh @ Queen Elizabeth House\n\nTAKE ACTION NOW: https://t.co/C1bFjMmmmH\u201d— Tipping Point UK (@Tipping Point UK) 1654104533
The large project, initially rejected by regulators, could produce 6.5% of Britain's gas output, according to Shell, which said it plans to start production on the field in the second half of 2025.
"We're turbocharging renewables and nuclear, but we are also realistic about our energy needs now," Kwarteng tweeted. "Let's source more of the gas we need from British waters to protect energy security."
Green groups swiftly batted down the energy secretary's statements as both a flawed approach to helping Britons deal with high fuel prices and a decision that flies in the face of climate science.
Related Content
"It's atrocious," said the StopCambo campaign, "that even though the science is clear that we can't have new oil and gas projects, they're giving the green light to yet another climate wrecking project. But it's not over."
Organizers with the campaign announced a 6:00 pm rally Thursday outside the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial strategy in London to reject not only the Jackdaw project but all new fossil fuel infrastructure.
"A liveable planet is incompatible with new oil and gas projects. Full stop," the event description reads.
The regulatory approval "is a betrayal of millions of families struggling to pay skyrocketing energy bills who need help right now," it continues. "We need insulated homes, cheaper bills, and quicker and greener energy solutions that don't destroy our planet!"
Friends of the Earth Scotland organized an afternoon protest outside the U.K. government building in Edinburgh and urged regulators to urgently reverse the approval.
Mary Church, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, accused the U.K. government of "pouring fuel on the fire of the social and climate crises by deepening our reliance on fossil fuels."
"Approving the Jackdaw field will do nothing to help people who face higher bills in the U.K. or to tackle the climate crisis," Church added. "The only people who benefit are executives and shareholders at Shell who are hellbent on destroying the planet for their own profit."