Joe Biden's climate envoy warns UK against North Sea oil and gas expansion

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Joe Biden's climate envoy has questioned UK plans to dramatically increase oil and gas production in the North Sea, warning that it will not will not solve the energy crisis.

John Kerry also attacked fossil fuel chiefs for exploiting the war in Ukraine to convince governments that they must slow down the switch to renewable energy, saying: "This is simply not true."

The former US vice-president said he does not know the full details of the UK's controversial plans which are set to award more 100 licenses to extract oil and gas from the North Sea.

But he said: "The truth is, and it is indisputable, that wind electricity and solar energy are cheaper energy than fossil fuels today.

"If you are planning a new installation and you're planning new drilling, it won't make a difference today, or tomorrow, or next month, because it just won't be available during that time.

"It takes several years to get there . So hopefully it's not a long-term projection."

The decision, announced last month, has already sparked the threat of a legal challenge on the grounds that it is inconsistent with the UK's legal commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

It also threatens to undermine Rishi Sunak's claims of being a world leader in the fight against climate emergency when he arrives at the crucial Cop27 summit in Egypt on Sunday.

During Liz Truss's short-lived tenure, the North Sea Transition Authority has reignited licensing, putting nearly 900 sites to explore.

This is the first round since 2019-20, when the process was suspended while the government carried out a "climate compatibility check ".

This assessment has been criticized for failing to properly assess the impact on the prospects for the UK to meet its Intermediate "carbon budgets" until 2037.

Mr. Kerry, while not mentioning the UK, lashed out at senior figure in the fossil fuel industry using the energy shortage caused by the Russian invasion...