Burnham urged to reject North Sea drilling by own scientists
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- Prof Kevin Anderson and scientists from the Tyndall Centre at the University of Manchester wrote an open letter to PM Andy Burnham urging him to unequivocally reject new North Sea drilling.
- Reports suggest Burnham's government is preparing to approve the Rosebank and Jackdaw oilfields, which the Conservatives approved but a court halted pending a fuller environmental impact assessment.
- Labour's manifesto pledged no new oil and gas licences, though Jackdaw and Rosebank were already in the licensing system at the last general election; the Jackdaw consultation closes 8 August.
- The scientists warned global emissions must fall by almost 8% annually to stay within the Paris Agreement's 2°C ceiling, noting warming has already hit 1.5°C.
- Greater Manchester already saw unsafe air quality this summer from widespread moorland fires, which the letter cited as on-the-ground evidence of worsening climate impacts.
- The letter argued approval would tell the world the UK is stepping back from climate obligations it has urged other nations to uphold.
Why it matters: These scientists aren't outside critics — they authored the carbon budget underpinning Burnham's own Greater Manchester carbon neutral by 2038 target. With the Jackdaw consultation closing 8 August and a court-mandated environmental reassessment still pending, backing Rosebank and Jackdaw would publicly contradict both Labour's manifesto and Burnham's mayoral climate record.
