SEPTEMBER 22, 2023
The Uplift initiative seeks to completely phase out the United Kingdom’s fossil fuel production within the next decade and establish the nation as a leader in the transition away from oil and gas extraction. Launched by Tessa Khan (Awardee 2018) through the Climate Breakthrough Award program, the initiative could establish the UK as the first major oil-producing nation to deliberately phase out production.
The Challenge
The UK currently stands as Europe’s third-largest oil and gas producer, trailing only Russia and Norway. Though it publicly champions climate action and sets ambitious emissions targets, the country continues to aggressively pursue offshore oil and gas production in the North Sea.
Several factors have helped maintain this status quo. The oil and gas industry wields significant political influence through its trade association, Oil and Gas UK, which represents hundreds of companies from major corporations to small suppliers. The industry’s remote offshore location has also kept it conveniently out of public view, limiting scrutiny of both its operations and the substantial government support it receives. Perhaps most importantly, the sector’s deep integration into the UK economy has made many politicians hesitant to consider significant changes to current policy.
The Initiative
Uplift aims to build a distributed network of organizations and stakeholders working collectively toward ending oil and gas production. Rather than operating as a standalone campaign, it will serve as a strategic hub, coordinating resources and amplifying existing efforts while driving new interventions.
Three key strategies form the core of the initiative:
- Legal action: The project plans to challenge the government’s maximum economic recovery policy through litigation, arguing its incompatibility with UK climate commitments and human rights obligations.
- Worker advocacy: A unique aspect of the initiative will involve organizing oil and gas workers to advocate for a rapid, just transition.
- Policy development: The initiative will seek to create and promote concrete pathways for phasing out production while protecting workers and communities dependent on the industry.
The Vision
The initiative’s longer-term vision aims for a complete phase-out of UK oil and gas production by 2030. The economic context also supports transition, with offshore wind becoming increasingly competitive and oil prices facing unprecedented volatility. The government’s massive heavy subsidization of the oil and gas industry has become increasingly difficult to justify amid growing pressure for green investment and economic recovery.
If successful, the initiative could offer a practical roadmap for other major producing countries to follow suit, significantly impacting global climate action.