Adura, the owner of the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea, stated on July 8, 2026, that emissions from the project will "not materially influence" global warming. The announcement follows an updated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) indicating that the gas field's emissions will account for less than 0.02% of annual global greenhouse gases during its operational lifetime.
The EIA was mandated by the industry regulator after a judge ruled that previous approvals lacked adequate climate impact assessments. Environmental groups, including Uplift and Greenpeace, have challenged the government’s consent for the Jackdaw project alongside the Rosebank oil field developments.
Updated Environmental Impact Assessment for Jackdaw
The new EIA, which spans 159 pages, was ordered by the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (Opred). It provides additional context regarding how emissions from Jackdaw will affect global climate goals. Previously, an EIA submitted in November 2025 projected that the field could produce up to 35.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions during its lifespan, nearly 90% of Scotland's total emissions.
Adura's latest assessment emphasizes that displacing imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States with gas from Jackdaw could save the equivalent of four million tonnes of CO2. The report claims that using domestically produced gas would result in about 20% more emissions from imports due to the processes involved in liquefying, transporting, and regasifying the gas.
Legal Challenges and Government Response
The Court of Session in Edinburgh previously ruled that both Jackdaw and Rosebank had been unlawfully approved due to the government's failure to consider the climate impact of burning oil and gas extracted from these fields. Lord Ericht's judgment mandated a more detailed climate assessment and fresh government approval before production could commence.
Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, criticized the Jackdaw project, stating it would have "no impact on our energy bills and do precious little to increase our gas supply." She noted that the UK has largely depleted its gas reserves after 50 years of drilling, making a smaller field like Jackdaw insufficient to reduce dependence on imports.
Environmental Concerns and Industry Commitments
Greenpeace has voiced strong opposition to the Jackdaw project, labeling Adura's claims as "self-serving". Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK's chief scientist, stated, "Any new oil and gas field approval is wholly incompatible with keeping global warming to 1.5°C, the internationally agreed limit for avoiding the worst impacts of climate breakdown." He emphasized that the approval of such projects is reckless and indefensible.
Despite the controversies surrounding the Jackdaw gas field, Adura maintains that the UK’s well-regulated industry has established targets and commitments that align with the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to between 1.5 and 2°C.
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by BBC Business. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
