- Kemi Badenoch has pledged that the Conservative Party, if it wins power, will commit to maximising oil and gas extraction from the North Sea.
- She plans to overhaul the North Sea Transition Authority, removing the word 'transition' and directing it to focus solely on extracting the maximum possible amount of fossil fuels.
- Badenoch argues this is essential to combat high energy prices and reverse what she terms 'economic disarmament,' challenging the Net Zero by 2050 commitment.
- This strategy aligns with Donald Trump's 'drill baby drill' ethos, who previously described North Sea reserves as a 'treasure chest'.
- Climate experts and environmentalists warn that opening new oil and gas fields would make it harder for the UK to meet its Net Zero targets and Paris Agreement goals.
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