UK Dismisses Call For Arctic Drilling Ban
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The U.K. will not oppose any oil and gas drilling that are currently underway in the Arctic region, said a government report published on Tuesday, rejecting a parliamentary committee call last September to impose an immediate exploration ban – until more robust measures were put in place to address spill risks.
The U.K. will not oppose any oil and gas drilling that are currently underway in the Arctic region, said a government report published on Tuesday, rejecting a parliamentary committee call last September to impose an immediate exploration ban – until more robust measures were put in place to address spill risks.
Although Britain is not part of the 8-member Arctic Council, who promote safe fossil fuel exploration in the region, it is one of six observer countries that can make recommendations to the governing Arctic states, including the appropriate techniques and guidelines needed to work in such extreme conditions.
Additionally, the U.K. government could also potentially demand stricter financial liability rules for British firms drilling in the Arctic ocean, such as BP, Shell and Cairn Energy – keen to exploit the waters around Russia, Alaska and Greenland respectively.
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Instead of a ban however, the U.K. government said that it was pressing for tighter global laws to protect marine biodiversity in the Arctic, claiming that higher environmental and drilling standards would be more effective than a ban to reduce arctic drilling concerns.
“We believe these measures – combined with effective and ambitious global action to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions – are more likely to be effective in protecting the Arctic environment than pressing for a complete moratorium on all drilling in the Arctic region,” the government said, as cited by Dow Jones.
[quote]“We are acutely aware of the potential environmental impacts of an oil spill in the Arctic and recognise the risks of drilling for hydrocarbons. We therefore fully support the use of the highest environmental and drilling standards in the Arctic,” added a government spokesman in a statement to Reuters.[/quote]Nevertheless, the government’s stance was roundly criticized by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) – made up of influential cross-party committee of MPs – who accused the prime minister of environmental hypocrisy after requesting for policy recommendations last year.
[quote]”A few years ago the Prime Minister rode with huskies in the Arctic to demonstrate his commitment on environmental issues, but now he is being asked to protect that pristine wilderness for real he has refused to take a lead on the issue,” said EAC chairperson Joan Walley, as quoted by The Independent.[/quote]“Last summer’s record Arctic sea ice melt should be seen as a wake-up call to governments to work together to protect this region, not a starting gun on a race to exploit its resources. The UK should take a lead in pushing for a protected area in the Arctic – one of the last undeveloped wilderness areas on Earth,” she further added.
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On its part, a Foreign Office spokesman said the government will be drawing up a “comprehensive 2013 Arctic policy framework” by the end of the year, which will spell out Britain’s position regarding oil and gas exploration, sustainable fishing and shipping in the Arctic.
The Arctic is changing at a rapid rate with repercussions for the global environment,” Foreign Office Minister Mark Simmonds said in a statement cited by BusinessGreen.com. “The UK is not an Arctic State but we do have strong environmental, economic, scientific and political interests there. Our response to the committee’s report sets out how we will work with our international partners to secure a peaceful, protected and well-governed Arctic.
[quote]”It also sets out how we want to work with interested parties both in the UK and internationally to ensure our policy keeps up with the changes we are seeing.”[/quote]
