Environmental campaigners have lost a High Court challenge over UK Government plans to issue new licences for oil and gas extraction in the North Sea.

Greenpeace brought legal action after Conservative ministers opened a new round of oil and gas licensing for the seabed off the north and east coast of the UK last October.

Activists intend to appeal the decision and have labelled it “deeply disappointing”.

Greenpeace and Uplift, another campaign organisation, argued that the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero began the licensing round without considering the greenhouse gas emissions that will result from burning the newly available fossil fuels amid the climate crisis and legal net zero commitments.

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However, Tory ministers said the new oil and gas licensing round is aimed at boosting the UK’s current energy supply as well as its future security, as the ongoing war in Ukraine sees European nations struggle with high fuel costs.

In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Holgate dismissed the claims from the two groups.

Representing Uplift at the hearing in July, Estelle Dehon KC said in written submissions that ministers had failed to “assess reasonable alternatives” to new homegrown fossil fuels.

However, Mr Justice Holgate said: “The Secretary of State had regard to differences in functions and physical characteristics between oil production from a well and subsequent refining, distribution and the range of end uses, along with spatial and temporal differences.”

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The judge added: “There was no internal inconsistency between the approach taken by the Secretary of State to whether end use emissions should be assessed as a likely significant effect of the plan.”

Greenpeace said it intends to appeal against the ruling, with Uplift executive director Tessa Khan calling the judgment “a deeply disappointing decision”.

Philip Evans, Greenpeace UK’s climate campaigner, said: “If you told most people that the Government is allowed to approve new oil and gas while ignoring 80% of the emissions it would produce, they simply wouldn’t believe you.

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“This is completely irresponsible behaviour from ministers during a climate crisis. That’s why we will be appealing, and hope this ruling will be overturned.

“More oil and gas drilling will just make oil giants richer and the climate crisis worse.

“Instead, we urgently need to move to abundant, cheap, clean renewable power and prioritise insulating homes. This is the only way to tackle the cost of living, guarantee our energy security, and ensure a safer climate.”