POLITICIANS and fossil fuel industry leaders were met with protests as they gathered for a major energy summit.
Demonstrators gathered in London for the UK Government and International Energy Agency’s summit on the “future of energy security” on Thursday.
At the talks were UK chair of Shell and the CEO of BP as well as climate sceptic ministers in Donald Trump’s administration.
Addressing the summit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while fossil fuels would be “part of our energy mix for decades to come”, he wanted to “accelerate” the use of green energy.
But protesters said the UK Government was not going far or fast enough – and demanded ministers called time on all oil and gas drilling.
Labour have announced a ban on new drilling, which led to the notorious campaign group Just Stop Oil ending its activities.
Lily-Rose Ellis, a campaigner for Greenpeace UK, said: "Government and industry leaders are gathering at this landmark summit to discuss the future of energy, but what is really at stake is the future of our planet. The real effects of the climate crisis continue to rage on, with wildfires, storms and floods bringing death and destruction around the world.
“This is why we are here today, and why one million people signed a petition calling on Keir Starmer to end oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. North Sea drilling will do nothing to lower bills or help our energy security, it will only further destroy the climate.
"If the government is serious about creating an energy system fit for the future, it must put a stop to all oil and gas developments, and focus on homegrown cheap renewables.”
Stop Rosebank spokesperson Lauren MacDonald added: “The UK government needs to stand up to the oil and gas lobby, led by the climate sceptic Trump administration, and act in the best interests of people in the UK.
“With the North Sea now in terminal decline, the public knows the only way to secure reliable, affordable energy supplies is through tapping into our renewable resources, like wind, which we’re lucky to have in abundance.”
