The Weald Action Group has responded to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)’s latest five-yearly advice to the Government on the likely impact of onshore petroleum extraction in England on the ability to meet UK-wide carbon budgets and Net Zero.
In a letter to CCC Chair Nigel Topping, we say that the CCC’s January 2026 letter to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero runs contrary to the Committee’s previous advice of a presumption against furthering such developments – and may well underestimate the emissions associated with onshore petroleum activity.