We urge the prime minister andy burnham to reject development oF rosebank oil field.
Approving new oil fields undermines our climate leadership, endangers our future, and fails to enhance energy security.
On 17 August 2026, Julie’s Bicycle sent a letter to the Prime Minister, calling on him to take real climate leadership by halting Rosebank and directing resources toward genuine solutions for a just transition.
After this public consultation, the government will decide whether to allow the development of Rosebank – the UK’s largest remaining untapped oil field – which lies about 80 miles west of Shetland.
Our letter to prime minister Andy burnham, 17 August 2026:
As one of the UK’s leading and longest serving charities focused on tackling the climate crises both with and through arts and culture, Julie’s Bicycle is writing to you to object most strenuously to the proposed approval of licenses for the Rosebank oil field off the coast of Shetland.
It is unconscionable for the UK to contribute more to the climate emergency, especially in the midst of another year of record-breaking temperatures.
Containing roughly 300 million barrels of oil, this would generate around 250 million tonnes of greenhouse gases over its lifetime, equating to roughly 66% of the UK’s total emissions in 2024.
The licensing of Rosebank will have little to no impact on lowering household energy bills, or strengthening the UK’s energy security, with Equinor confirming that it will be sold on the open market.
Conversely, the approval of Rosebank will weaken our climate leadership on a global stage, and our ability to meet our commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement.
The UK already significantly subsidises the development costs of private companies. As a result of our generous tax regime UK taxpayers will shoulder more than 80% of the project’s costs whilst not benefiting from the profits.
Multiple analyses suggest the project could yield a net financial loss for the UK Treasury over the long-term compared to the private profits generated.
We urge you, while our own natural spaces and homes are burning from severe heat and record breaking droughts, to stop this commitment to fossil fuels.
Instead, invest in the communities of Scotland through training on renewable energy infrastructure, and redirecting tax incentives and subsidies to clean energy and nature restoration, which provide all our communities with a safe and equitable future.
In the words of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres just last week:
“Every new fossil fuel project approved today makes tomorrow’s heatwaves more dangerous, and our world less secure.
Yet some governments still plan to produce more than twice as much fossil fuel in 2030 as the 1.5-degree limit allows. And fossil fuels still enjoy trillions of dollars a year in subsidies and underpricing.
We are spending too much public money fuelling the crisis – and too little protecting the people from it.
More coal, oil and gas will lead to a more combustible future.”
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