John Kerry indicates he disagrees with UK Government on North Sea oil and gas

The US climate envoy cast doubt on whether new drilling would even go ahead

The US climate envoy has indicated he disagrees with the UK Government’s policy on North Sea oil and gas.

John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s net zero chief, also cast doubt on whether new drilling would even go ahead.

It came as First Minister Humza Yousaf said he is “not convinced” Rosebank, the UK's largest undeveloped oil field, should be given the green light.

John Kerry. Picture: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Senator Kerry was in Edinburgh delivering an address at the inaugural Scottish Global Dialogues – a new annual series of lectures.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously said he wants to "max out the opportunities" in the North Sea as he confirmed hundreds of new licences for oil and gas extraction will be granted in the UK.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Kerry was asked if he thinks the UK Government is sticking to its climate pledges. He said: “They’re saying at the same time that they’re going to keep on target and they’re going to meet their targets. The UK is deploying a massive amount of wind power, and the more that goes out there, the more it’s going to be competitive with fossil fuels.

“Let’s see whether they actually drill. Let’s see what happens. Because I think that dynamic is shifting all over the world. There’s a change in the demand curve and there’s a change in the supply, and we’ll see how this works through.”

The Scotsman asked Mr Kerry how the UK policy to "max out" opportunities in the North Sea could possibly align with his own message on the climate crisis. He initially answered: "It's not my job to be commenting on other countries’ policies specifically."

However, put to him that his comments did not align with the UK Government's position, he said: "Well then, you've got your answer."

He added: "What I've said, folks, is we have to reduce unabated burning of fossil fuel. We are also – the United States is drilling, because there is a demand level in the marketplace today."

He continued: "This doesn't have to happen by tomorrow. We have to speed up. We have to meet the goal of the Paris Agreement. We have to do what the scientists tell us keeps 1.5C alive. That's our standard in the United States, and that's the standard, I think, of most of Europe, and I think this had been the standard of the UK.

"I don't know how that plays out in terms of what they've said about every last drop, but that's not our policy."

With the Cop28 climate change summit due to take place in Dubai in November and December, Mr Kerry said there is a “unique opportunity to significantly accelerate this transition to a clean energy economy”.

Mr Yousaf later accused Mr Sunak of “climate denial, coming up to Scotland to announce approval of 100 new oil and gas licences”.

On Rosebank, the First Minister said: “My starting position on Rosebank is I’m not convinced it should go ahead and I’ve said as much publicly, for a number of reasons.

“First and foremost, for example, the majority of Rosebank is oil as opposed to gas - that oil, of course, then gets exported. So any suggestion that helps us in terms of our domestic energy security, I think, doesn't quite stack up."