By Phil Richards at Greenpeace UK, November 26th 2025. Featured image credit: Greenpeace UK
Commenting on the government’s North Sea Future Plan, in which it has confirmed that no more licences for new oil and gas will be issued, Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director, Areeba Hamid, said:
“Britain has just made history. Closing the door to new exploration marks the beginning of the end of oil and gas in this country. By standing firm on its manifesto promise, the government has shown genuine global climate leadership, making the UK the world’s largest economy to call time on new fossil fuel exploration. This is a major milestone.
“Oil and gas production has driven both the climate and energy price crises, leaving us all paying through the nose while fossil fuel giants have pocketed billions. But the winds are changing. The future of Britain’s energy is and needs to be clean, stable, home-grown renewables – not expensive, volatile, climate-wrecking fossil fuels.
“However, the current plan – and the cash – to support North Sea workers doesn’t go far enough. It’s vital they are at the heart of Britain’s transition to a clean-energy superpower, not left behind by it – but a £20mn jobs package doesn’t cut the mustard. A fair transition will create thousands of new jobs, strengthen communities, and prove that climate leadership and economic security can go hand in hand.”
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The North Sea Future Plan sets out the government’s plans to grow clean energy industries, support the management of existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan (and not issue new licences for exploration and extraction), and help North Sea workers and communities make the transition from the energy industry into other sectors:
The North Sea – its communities, workers, businesses and supply chains – will be at the heart of Britain’s clean energy and industrial future as the UK government has (26th November) published a landmark plan to protect existing jobs and deliver the next generation of good, new jobs.
The North Sea will continue to power Britain for many decades to come, but declining oil and gas reserves over last 20 years has seen more than 70,000 jobs lost in the last decade and left an urgent need to act now to secure its long-term future.
After years of inaction, the government is charting a new course for the North Sea, providing a global blueprint for a fair, managed and prosperous transition to future proof the sector. The new North Sea Future Plan, published today, sets a clear path to grow clean energy industries, support the management of existing oil and gas fields for their lifespan, and help North Sea workers and communities make the transition.
The plan implements the government’s manifesto commitments to manage existing fields for the entirety of their lifespan, and to not issue new licences to explore new oil and gas fields. This puts the UK at the forefront of global efforts to tackle the climate crisis, reflecting the science of new fossil fuel exploration being incompatible with limiting warming to 1.5C.
As part of this, the government will introduce new Transitional Energy Certificates which will enable limited oil and gas production on or near to existing fields – so long as this additional production does not require new exploration and is already part of or links back to existing fields and infrastructure, and is necessary for a managed, orderly and prosperous transition.
Following extensive consultation with workers and unions, the government will also establish the North Sea Jobs Service – a world-leading national employment programme offering tailored end-to-end support for the current workforce seeking new opportunities in growing industries across the government’s industrial strategy sectors, including clean energy, defence, and advanced manufacturing.
This service will provide support in every step of a worker’s career journey – from clarity on future roles, to training and securing an offer for a good job. It builds on the expansion of the Energy Skills Passport to new roles and sectors, and up to £20 million funding from the UK and Scottish Governments, following demand for the Aberdeen skills pilot to help oil and gas workers retrain.