New oil & gas fields in the UK North Sea? The interplay of economics, politics, policy and law
This seminar will be held in person in Jub-G32 and via Zoom for those who cannot attend physically. If you would like to attend this seminar via Zoom please contact Yvonne Barnes y.d.barnes@sussex.ac.uk for joining details
Abstract:
UK North Sea oil and gas production has become a site of intense political and legal contestation. The UK Government has committed not to issue new exploration licences, but it has been ambiguous in its position on granting consents for the development and production of already-licenced fields, such as the controversial Rosebank oilfield. In this talk, Fergus Green will draw from his recent research and policy work to explain these developments and illuminate potential futures for the UK's North Sea oil and gas production, emphasising the interplay between the economics of oil and gas production, political contestation, government policy, and the evolving law on environmental impact assessment.
Bio:
Dr Fergus Green is an Associate Professor in the UCL Department of Political Science and School of Public Policy. His research seeks to understand the political, economic and legal drivers of fossil fuel expansion, and to advance socially just and politically robust response strategies. Fergus has published in leading academic journals—including Science, Nature Climate Change, and the American Political Science Review—and was a contributing author to three editions of the UN Environment Programme’s fossil fuel Production Gap Report (2019–2021). He has also supported NGOs in multiple jurisdictions in fossil fuel-related climate litigation.
His website is: www.fergusgreen.net