Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies on domestic fossil fuel licencing of the global stocktake agreement at COP28.

The UK is a world leader in phasing out unabated fossil fuels and was pleased to help negotiate the Global Stocktake at COP28.

UK oil and gas production will, with new licences, decline by 7% a year - which is faster than the global decline required to align with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 1.5°C pathways. Issuing new licences will reduce higher emission imports and retain vital capabilities in the sector that are vital to the transition to clean technologies. This is consistent with the agreement at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.