Khan urges Burnham to uphold net zero pledge amid North Sea drilling scrutiny

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has publicly urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to reaffirm the United Kingdom’s commitment to net zero emissions, citing the severe drought, wildfires, and heatwaves currently gripping the nation as undeniable evidence of a worsening climate crisis. In an opinion piece published in The Guardian, Khan described the voices of climate denial as “delusional” and “deadly,” warning that the cross-party consensus on environmental action has fractured under the weight of political fatalism and denialism.

The intervention comes amid intensifying speculation that Burnham may support renewed drilling for the Jackdaw and Rosebank North Sea oil and gas projects. Although the Labour manifesto explicitly pledged to halt new licences for fossil fuels, operations at these sites—originally permitted by the previous Conservative government—were paused following a legal challenge by environmental groups. A final decision on whether to approve further extraction is expected in the coming weeks, with Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh tasked with making the call after consultations on emissions conclude.

Khan’s call for policy clarity contrasts sharply with Burnham’s current silence on environmental matters since assuming office. The Prime Minister has previously characterised his approach to oil and gas as “pragmatic,” stating that decisions on new drilling would be made “in due course” without elaborating on the source of future energy supplies. This reticence has drawn criticism from Khan, who argued that national governments must meet the gravity of the moment with renewed focus and funding to get Britain back on track.

Internal concerns within the Labour party suggest that support for expanded drilling could alienate voters, particularly as the Green party gains traction and the public endures extreme weather events linked to fossil fuel consumption. While Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argues that North Sea drilling is essential to resolving the energy crisis, senior economists including Nicholas Stern of the London School of Economics contend that new drilling and decelerated climate action would harm both economic growth and energy security.

Khan, who supported the fossil fuel treaty during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, warned that the UK is now in an “era of extremes.” He emphasised that without urgent action to embrace net zero, the worst impacts of climate change remain ahead, urging the government to prioritise long-term environmental stability over short-term political expediency.