Dear Editor,

Kit Malthouse MP (North West Hampshire) ignored an invitation to attend Westminster Hall Debate on Equinor's Rosebank oil field on June 28 while MPs from other parties attended and with positive contributions from some Labour MPs and references to the Climate Change Committee's reporting.

Rosebank is the biggest undeveloped oil field in the UK and is currently up for approval by the UK government. If approved, Rosebank would breach the UK’s climate targets on oil and gas and cost the taxpayer billions. Rosebank's oil will most likely be sold abroad (like 80 per cent of the oil the UK produces) doing nothing for our bills and energy security, but doing everything to further drive the climate crisis.

Norway, Rosebank's owner Equinor’s majority shareholder, would take the profit, and we would pay the price. Thanks to a massive loophole for new oil and gas fields in the windfall tax, UK taxpayers would effectively cover 91.4 per cent of the cost of developing new oil and gas fields, meaning Equinor will get a £3.75bn tax break that we have to shoulder amidst a cost of living crisis.

We urgently need to transition to an energy system powered by clean, affordable renewable energy and that prioritises energy efficiency. The first step towards this future is to stop ploughing public money into new oil and gas fields like Rosebank.

Why is the government determined to destroy the planet? Is it because the Conservative Party receives millions in donations from fossil fuel companies?

Jeannette Schael

Crookham Close, Tadley

 

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