A shock declaration from the international energy watchdog could reignite the debate about the future of the once mighty North Sea oil and gas industry and leave ministers and consumers alike facing hard choices.

In a special report issued last week the International Energy Agency set a cat among the pigeons as it warned that well—meaning moves made by governments to cut greenhouse gas emissions did not go anywhere near far enough.

“Climate pledges by governments to date – even if fully achieved – would fall well short of what is required to bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 and give the world an even chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C,” said the Paris-based IEA.

One of the associated conclusions was particularly striking coming from a body that was founded in 1974 to help ensure the security of oil supplies for industrialised member states such as the UK and the USA.

The IEA said if the world had any chance of meeting climate change targets there should be an immediate end to new fossil fuel developments, including those involving oil and gas fields.

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The statement reflected a huge shift in the terms of the intellectual debate about the problem of climate change, which has accelerated in recent months.

After spending 50 around years championing the importance of the global oil and gas industry, the IEA put producers on the back foot in the battle to win hearts and minds.

Its move delighted environmentalists who have campaigned hard for exploration and development activity in the North Sea to be curbed.

“This IEA report makes it clear that no more fossil fuels are needed because demand has to fall to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement,” said Charlie Kronick, senior climate adviser for Greenpeace UK.

“There’s no need - and no justification - for new oil and gas wells in the North Sea.”

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The IEA has no power to force members states to do anything. However, its call for an end to new oil and gas developments does leave ministers who are desperate to bolster their green credentials in an awkward position.

The UK Government has unveiled a series of costly programmes in support of its drive to achieve net zero by 2050.

It agreed to a revamp of the strategy followed by the industry regulator the Oil and Gas Authority, which appears to be conditioned on the assumption that continued North Sea exploration and development activity is compatible with the net zero agenda.

The OGA said in February that firms were to take appropriate steps to help the Government to meet its net zero target while maximising the expected net value of economically recoverable petroleum from relevant UK waters.

This will involve firms trying to secure big reductions in the emissions associated with North Sea activity, for example by using wind power on their rigs rather than gas-fuelled generators and by reducing flaring.

The strategy change did not cause much upset among North Sea industry leaders, who argue oil and gas from the area can be used to meet demand for energy until enough renewables capacity can be developed and to reduce reliance on imports.

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It looks like their claims that the expertise and capacities offered by the North Sea supply chain could play a key part in supporting the growth of renewables and of technologies such as carbon capture and storage carry considerable sway at Westminster.

In March the Government announced a £16bn North Sea Transition Deal, which is intended to maximise the potential contribution of the oil and gas supply chain.

The Government confirmed then that new oil and gas licences could be awarded in future, if they were deemed to be compatible with the UK’s climate change objectives.

Campaigners hope the IEA announcement may get the Government to think again.

Greenpeace’s Mr Kronick said: “The UK government undermines any claims to climate leadership by planning to press ahead with more oil and gas extraction.

“To deliver on this government’s own climate rhetoric, and what the IEA now demands, BEIS (business) Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng must rule out new oil and gas licences.”

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Alok Sharma, who is leading official preparations for the Cop26 climate change summit that will be held in Glasgow in November, welcomed the IEA report. He said it shared many of the priorities set by the UK government as the incoming president of the summit. Mr Sharma made no mention of oil and gas in his comments.

However, the report was published a week after environmentalists launched a legal bid to force the UK Government to end support for the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Campaigners aim to initiate a High Court action on the grounds that the official drive to maximise North Sea production is both unlawful and irrational.

They argue that oil and gas activity is incompatible with the Government’s net zero drive and also uneconomic for taxpayers.

The latter claim is based on the fact that the Government has been shelling out billions to refund the costs of decommissioning North Sea oil and gas fields, which are set to continue for years.

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The campaigners concerned include Kairin van Sweeden, who is on the Scottish National Party policy development committee.

Others might hope that the tax revenues generated by new North Sea fields could be used to defray the costs of decommissioning and tax breaks granted in the past.

Even after oil and gas firms shed thousands of jobs amid the fallout from the coronavirus crisis, the North Sea industry remains a major employer in Scotland.

Curbs on activity could cost jobs.

The Scottish Government may not have the power to stop North Sea activity but it can influence developments in a range of ways, including through its economic support budget.

In making the case for independence during the 2014 referendum campaign, the Scottish Government led by Alex Salmond said the North Sea oil and gas industry could fuel a successful future for the country.

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After the oil and gas industry entered a deep slump that year the Scottish Government formed an Energy Jobs Taskforce and backed industry calls for the UK Government to change the tax regime to help ease the pressure on firms.

The Scottish Government has made less noise about the industry amid the latest downturn. Its calls for Scotland to leave the UK are supported by the Green Party. In the cabinet revealed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week Michael Matheson holds the new post of secretary for net zero, energy and transport.

The IEA underlined the scale of the challenge facing governments if alternatives to oil and gas are to be deployed fast enough. It said annual global clean energy investment will need to more than triple to around $4 trillion.

For people longing for the return of freedoms lost amid coronavirus lockdowns sections of the report may have made uncomfortable reading.

It found: “Achieving net zero by 2050 cannot be achieved without the sustained support and participation from citizens. Behavioural changes, particularly in advanced economies – such as replacing car trips with walking, cycling or public transport, or foregoing a long-haul flight –provide around 4% of the cumulative emissions reductions in our pathway.”