The UK government has confirmed that it will not defend the legal challenges over plans to develop untapped oil fields off the coast of Shetland and Aberdeen.
Environmental groups brought judicial reviews against development consent for the Rosebank and Jackdaw offshore oil and gas fields.
The decision comes after the Supreme Court ruled in June that the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels must be considered in planning applications for new projects, not just the emissions produced in extraction.
However, the licences have not been revoked. Depending on the outcome of the judicial reviews, the operators may have to resubmit their environmental impact assessments for further consideration.
Mel Evans, Greenpeace UK climate team leader, said that conceding these cases is “the logical course of action” and argued that the two new fields would “generate a vast amount of emissions while doing nothing to lower energy bills”.
The UK government is planning to consult later this year on its manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “We will consult at pace on new guidance that takes into account the Supreme Court’s ruling on environmental impact assessments, to enable the industry to plan, secure jobs and invest in our economy.”
The government said that oil and gas would remain essential as the country makes the transition to clean energy.
