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Co-led by Climate Strategies, the Oil and Gas Transitions project will develop a better understanding of oil and gas transition scenarios for the North Sea region. It will also co-produce just and feasible transition pathways and create blueprints for countries facing similar challenges.
2021–2023
The UK, Denmark and Norway have committed to achieving ambitious carbon neutrality targets aligned with limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Yet they are the three top oil and gas producing nations in Europe.
Deep transformation of energy systems to transition out of all fossil fuels will be required for their targets to be realized, and while significant progress has been achieved in phasing out coal, we must now turn to the oil and gas sector.
Oil and gas expansion plans remain in the UK and Norway, with only Denmark setting a date to phase out the industry. This ‘ambition gap’ between net-zero promises and climate policies, and oil and gas industrial strategies, is the key issue we seek to address.
Industry, government, and community resistance to the transition is largely founded in concerns regarding its social and economic impacts. Thus, strategies to phase out oil and gas must also be just and equitable. A just and orderly transition will require policy coherence between emissions targets and the provision of policies which support economic diversification strategies, labour market plans, skills training, social security and support for companies in reorienting their business models.
To respond to this complex research and policy challenge, this program will develop a better understanding of oil and gas transition scenarios for the North Sea region; establish buy-in from key stakeholders; and enable collaboration to scale up innovation and early-stage just transition efforts.
The Oil and Gas Transitions project is co-led by Climate Strategies and SEI, and includes world-leading research institutions in the case study countries: Aalborg University (Denmark), University of Oslo (Norway) and University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom).
SEI report / This report underscores the need for Denmark, Norway and the UK to adopt policies to transition away from fossil fuel production in the North Sea.
2 August 2023 / About Fossil fuels
SEI report / How do Denmark, Norway and the UK score on achieving a just transition away from oil and gas? Find out in this analysis and what work remains to be done.
17 May 2022 / About Adaptation, Climate policy, Fossil fuels, Mitigation and Renewables
Perspective / This perspective argues that the UK's decision to expand oil and gas licenses in the North Sea signals waning leadership on the fossil fuel transition at hand.
15 August 2023 / About Fossil fuels and Public policy
Perspective / The North Sea countries all have the necessary finance, economic diversity, technical knowledge and ample renewable energy potential to break their dependency.
6 September 2022 / About Adaptation, Climate policy, Fossil fuels, Mitigation and Renewables
Other publication / The assessment shows how human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45% this decade.
6 May 2021 / About Fossil fuels, Land use, Pollution, Short lived climate pollutants and Transport
Perspective / This perspective presents ways for the new UK government to begin working to achieve a just fossil fuel transition in the North Sea.
15 July 2024 / About Fossil fuels and Public policy
Project / Green transition has become a catch-all solution, but it's not without its trade-offs and conflicts. We seek to highlight them to ensure a just transition.
2024 - 2027 / About Climate policy and Land use
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