UK gives green light to controversial Jackdaw gas field
The British government approves gas extraction east of Scotland after a new assessment of its environmental impact.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
The British government on Wednesday granted permission for the development of the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. The project by Adura, the company bringing together Shell and Equinor’s British offshore interests, had been halted after a judge found an earlier assessment of its environmental impact insufficient.
Jackdaw lies east of Aberdeen, in the British part of the North Sea. According to the British government, British Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh approved production after additional information about the project had been assessed. The British government says the formal approval means that the regulator can grant the production licence; the approval is not the same as a general licence for new oil and gas exploration.
The field had already been approved in 2022, but a Scottish judge later ruled that the decision had failed to adequately consider the emissions produced when the extracted fuels are ultimately burned. The government subsequently published new guidelines for assessing such so-called downstream emissions. Adura submitted additional information before the decision was taken again.
The British government says Jackdaw can support energy supplies during the transition to renewable energy. According to the official explanation, the developer estimates that the project will create 27 direct jobs and safeguard 273 existing jobs. The government also cites an estimated contribution of £2.9 billion to the British economy. These are the developer’s estimates, not independent findings on the final proceeds.
Environmental organisations and some Labour MPs oppose the project. Their objection is that new fossil-fuel production is incompatible with climate targets and that burning the gas causes additional emissions. The government counters this with energy security and reduced dependence on imports. The approval does not automatically make clear what effect Jackdaw will have on European or Dutch gas prices; those prices are determined by the wider European market.
According to the British government, an average of 42 per cent of Britain’s gas supply comes from the UK Continental Shelf, 37 per cent from Norway, 20 per cent as liquefied natural gas and 1 per cent via interconnectors. These percentages are calculated over the period 2021–2025. Jackdaw gas will become part of the same market and is therefore relevant to north-west European energy supplies, but the field is not large enough to determine regional price trends on its own.
The decision is primarily a policy choice at the intersection of climate and energy security. Production can temporarily support domestic supply, while burning the gas does not remove the climate challenge. The project is relevant to the Netherlands because the North Sea energy market and the connections between the British and Dutch gas networks influence each other, but the precise Dutch consequences depend on production, demand, imports and market prices.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The British government has approved the development of Jackdaw.
- The project was previously the subject of a judicial assessment of its environmental impact.
- The government and the developer point to energy security and economic benefits; environmental organisations point to additional fossil-fuel emissions.
Left
Arguments New gas extraction is at odds with climate policy and could delay investment in renewable energy. The government should reduce demand for gas through insulation, efficiency and clean energy instead of allowing new fossil-fuel production.
Values Climate responsibility, intergenerational justice and accelerating the energy transition.
Consequences The short-term gain in security of supply could, in this view, lead to long-term emissions and a greater risk of fossil-fuel lock-in.
Centre
Arguments The choice calls for a balance between security of supply, affordability and climate targets. A temporary role for gas may be defensible if it is subject to strict environmental requirements, transparent emissions calculations and a clear end date.
Values Pragmatism, affordability and workable climate policy.
Consequences Limited additional production could reduce the risk of shortages, but only if it does not lead to delays in investment in renewable energy.
Right
Arguments Domestic production makes the UK less dependent on imports and protects jobs and economic activity. As long as households and businesses need gas, this approach holds that it is more sensible for it to come from British waters than from geopolitically uncertain sources.
Values Energy independence, national economic interests and affordability.
Consequences Faster approval could strengthen energy supplies, while stricter climate restrictions would, in this view, increase costs for consumers and industry.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The approval, location and legal background have been confirmed by the British government and AP. Estimates and market effects are presented as estimates or uncertainties; no core claims requiring correction were found.
- confirmed The United Kingdom granted permission on 21 October 2026 for the development of the Jackdaw gas field. — The British government and AP reported the decision on the same date. source
- confirmed Jackdaw lies east of Aberdeen and was previously halted after a court ruling concerning its environmental impact. — The location and legal background are set out in the AP report. source
- confirmed The developer estimates 27 new direct jobs, the preservation of 273 jobs and a contribution of £2.9 billion. — The British government explicitly lists these figures as the developer’s estimates. source
- confirmed On average, 42 per cent of Britain’s gas supply comes from the UK Continental Shelf, 37 per cent from Norway, 20 per cent from LNG and 1 per cent via interconnectors. — The percentages and the period 2021–2025 appear in the official explanation. source
- confirmed The project does not independently determine European or Dutch gas prices. — This is a cautious market-economic interpretation; the article does not claim an exact price effect. source
Editor's note
The decision itself has been confirmed by the British government and AP. Jobs, the economic contribution and production volume are the developer’s estimates; the article therefore explicitly attributes them. The effect on Dutch gas prices is uncertain and is not presented as established fact.Sources
- Jackdaw gas field gets green light — UK Government
- Britain approves natural gas project off Scotland’s coast — AP News
- UK approves Jackdaw gasfield in North Sea — The Guardian
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „jackdaw noordzee”
- de Volkskrant — „jackdaw noordzee”
- NU.nl — „jackdaw noordzee”