UK approves Jackdaw gas field despite environmental concerns and limited economic benefit

The UK government has approved the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, despite serious concerns about its climate impact and the limited benefit it offers the country.

Jackdaw is expected to begin producing gas by the end of the month. The decision sits uneasily with Labour’s 2024 election manifesto, which pledged no new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. The government argues the pledge doesn’t apply because Jackdaw had already been granted consent under the previous government.

The field lies around 150 miles east of Aberdeen and is operated by Adura, the joint venture between Shell and Equinor. The government expects Jackdaw to operate for 11 years, supply 6% of UK gas production, protect jobs and add £2.9 billion to the economy.

Critics strongly disagree. Environmental groups put Jackdaw’s contribution at closer to 2% of UK gas demand. Ross Greer, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, called the approval a “devastating betrayal of our children’s future”.

Nor is it expected to bring relief at home. The government has itself said Jackdaw will not reduce energy bills, with little effect on costs for British households and farms. The UK is part of the wider European gas market, so prices are set across the continent, and conflicts including the wars in Iran and Ukraine continue to disrupt supply.

Jackdaw will lock in new fossil fuel production for more than a decade, with no clear benefit for people struggling with energy costs. The UK’s energy security and affordability depend on cheaper, homegrown renewables, not new gas. As COP31 approaches, how the UK follows through on its climate commitments will be watched closely.