The plans announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak include a pledge to invest 20 billion pounds in carbon capture and storage projects as Sunak maintained the government's commitment to eliminate net carbon emissions by 2050.
But UN scientists and environmental campaigners are calling on government's around the world to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels after a summer of record high temperatures, drought and floods linked to man-made climate change. Burning oil and gas to power vehicles, factories and electricity generating stations releases huge amounts of carbon dioxide, the main driver of global warming.
Britain began pumping oil and gas from the North Sea in the mid-1970s, a major source of jobs and tax revenue, particularly in Scotland. But production has been declining since around 2000, making support for the industry a major political issue. The Climate Change Committee said backing for a new coal mine and new domestic oil and gas production undermined Britain's "international messaging" on the need to stop developing fossil fuel projects.
"It's a bit difficult to take seriously the idea that this should be prioritized for prime ministerial attention when so much else needs it instead," Doug Parr, the chief scientific officer for Greenpeace UK, told the BBC.