Without a pragmatic approach to the North Sea, the UK risks blackouts, job losses, and greater dependence on foreign supply.

North Sea Policy Must Balance Energy Security, Jobs and Climate Goals

The global offshore energy sector is stirring again. After years of uncertainty, the industry is experiencing what many describe as a revival, with investment and confidence returning from Brazil to the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America. But in the UK, the North Sea energy industry is at a crossroads – and how policymakers navigate it will determine not only the country’s energy future but also thousands of jobs in places like Aberdeen, Scotland.

Recently, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch warned at SPE Offshore Europe 2025 that if nothing changes, the UK will have no other choice but to import more than 80% of its oil and gas by 2030. That is a staggering prospect: it would leave the country more vulnerable to supply shocks, drive up reliance on foreign producers, and put intense pressure on an already stretched supply chain. The risk of blackouts, as we have seen recently in Spain and Portugal due to clean energy volatilities, and mass job losses is no longer abstract.

The Labour Party has long opposed new North Sea oil and gas licences. Yet the economic and security realities suggest that position may need urgent revision. As a recent analysis pointed out, no serious energy policy can ignore the triple imperative of energy security, jobs, and climate action. Pretending these goals are mutually exclusive is a false choice.

Other countries have already uncovered a path forward. Norway has managed to remain a global leader in offshore production while enforcing some of the world’s strictest environmental standards. Its model – targeted projects tied to existing infrastructure, paired with tough sustainability requirements – protects jobs, reduces reliance on imports, and keeps climate goals intact. The UK should take note.

Meanwhile, Brazil offers another compelling case study. As the world’s pre-salt powerhouse, it has embraced its role as a guarantor of global supply while investing heavily in a new, greener fleet of offshore support vessels. Crucially, Brazil views sustainability not just as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but as investing in people: strengthening local content, skills, and community resilience. This holistic approach shows how energy security and sustainability can be mutually reinforcing, not contradictory.

The lesson for Britain is clear: a compromise position is both possible and necessary. By licensing carefully chosen projects in the North Sea – those that leverage existing infrastructure and meet strict environmental standards – the UK can safeguard its energy independence, preserve its industrial base, and stay on track for net zero by 2050.

At Knights Media & Public Relations, we see this pragmatic consensus forming globally. Offshore energy is no longer framed as the enemy of the energy transition; it is increasingly recognised as a bridge to the future, vital to ensuring supply security while cleaner technologies scale. The task now is to communicate this balance effectively to policymakers, investors, and communities.

A positive way forward would be to balance energy security with climate goals by using the North Sea’s deep oil and heritage – infrastructure, tech and skills – strategically while accelerating the clean transition. This could mean carefully managing existing oil and gas fields to reduce imports in the short-term, but pairing every licensing or production decision with strict carbon capture, methane reduction, and emissions accountability.

At the same time, government and industry could channel revenues and skills from the sector directly into offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture, and clean-tech supply chains, ensuring oil workers transition into future-proof jobs. Rather than framing fossil fuels and net zero as opposites, the UK could position itself as a global leader in managing a “just transition” – using its mature oil industry expertise, strong climate framework, and innovation capacity to keep the lights on today while building a cleaner, more resilient energy system for tomorrow.

For Aberdeen the stakes could not be higher. The Granite City for example has long been the heartbeat of the UK’s offshore sector. A blanket ban on new licences would risk hollowing out the local economy, forcing world-class talent and infrastructure into decline just when global demand is rebounding.

By contrast, a balanced approach could position Aberdeen as a model for responsible transition, sustaining jobs today while preparing for tomorrow. And, we must remember that Great British Energy (GB Energy) is now active with £125 million allocated for its setup and its first major project, a £200 million rooftop solar rollout for schools and hospitals, already launched.

The UK’s first ever publicly-owned clean energy company, is now headquartered in Aberdeen and is expected to create between 200 and 300 jobs in the city and surrounding ahead within five years. Perhaps more transparency over its progress is needed at a time where action is everything but overall, it has begun delivering visible clean energy projects and has the potential – much like Norway’s state-backed Equinor which aims to increase energy security while supporting the energy transition.

The offshore revival is real. But its benefits will not be evenly shared unless governments make smart, balanced choices. The UK has the opportunity – and the obligation – to craft a North Sea policy that secures energy, protects livelihoods, and honours climate commitments.

The time for ideological extremes has passed. What Britain needs now is pragmatism, balance, and leadership.