Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an estimate of the potential CO2 emissions resulting from the licenses awarded from the 29th to the 32nd UK offshore licensing rounds.

The scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from UK oil and gas extraction, including from recent licensing rounds, are accounted for in our legally-binding carbon budgets. Scope 3 emissions from oil and gas are accounted for in the country in which they are used, in line with guidance from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Projected future emissions from all licensing rounds are incorporated into the offshore sector’s North Sea Transition Deal commitments. These commitments are consistent with the UK meeting carbon budgets. Additionally, the Climate Compatibility Checkpoint assesses whether new licensing is compatible with the UK’s climate targets.