UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak makes climate activists seethe in bold move for energy independence

The U.K government plans to issue over 100 licenses for oil and gas extraction despite objections from environmental activists.

"I think this is a hugely beneficial move for the U.K. and will significantly strengthen Britain's energy security, and it will create a lot of jobs," Nile Gardiner, director of the Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, told Fox News Digital. 

"It's probably the best thing Rishi Sunak has done as prime minister, and this, of course, has resulted in howls of outrage from the environmental lobby who are actively working to undermine British competitiveness as part of a woke ideological agenda."

The comments come after the U.K. government announced Monday a plan to boost domestic energy production by issuing hundreds of new North Sea oil and gas licenses, which it claimed in a release will "make Britain more energy independent."

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U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and protesters.  (Ben Birchall/WPA Pool/Getty Images | Reuters/Henry Nicholls)

"We have all witnessed how Putin has manipulated and weaponized energy – disrupting supply and stalling growth in countries around the world," U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in the release. "Now more than ever, it’s vital that we bolster our energy security and capitalize on that independence to deliver more affordable, clean energy to British homes and businesses."

The announcement of the new licenses comes despite weeks of protests by environmentalists in the country, who have at times blocked London traffic and disrupted large public events like the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

Just Stop Oil, the group behind the protests, says on its website its aim is for the government to "immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the U.K." 

According to a list of protests compiled by the BBC, the group is responsible for several high-profile demonstrations, including the interruption of the BBC Proms concert, stopping play at large cricket, tennis and snooker events and throwing soup at Vincent van Gogh's "Sunflowers" paintings at the National Gallery in London.

The group was also responsible for the M25 protests, which disrupted England's busiest highway during rush hour traffic.

The plan to issue hundreds of new licenses also comes as the British government has pledged to reach net zero emissions by 2050, though Sunak argued the country will still rely on oil and gas beyond that year.

ABERDEENSHIRE, SCOTLAND - JULY 31: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks to the media during his visit to Shell St Fergus Gas Plant in Peterhead, for the announcement of further measures to protect the UK's long-term energy security, on July 31, 2023 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The Prime Minister is expected to announce millions of pounds in funding for the Acorn carbon capture project, a joint venture between Shell UK and other companies, and confirm plans to issue new licences for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. (Photo by Euan Duff - WPA Pool/Getty Images))

"Even when we’ve reached net zero in 2050, a quarter of our energy needs will come from oil and gas," Sunak said in the release. "But there are those who would rather that it come from hostile states than from the supplies we have here at home."

Professor Brenda Shaffer, an energy expert at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital the U.S. could learn a lesson from the U.K. move.

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"The U.S. definitely can learn a lesson from Britain here," Shaffer said. "The Biden administration courts Caracas, Tehran and Riyadh for oil, but not Houston. Natural gas is not an enemy and certainly does not pollute like oil and coal. 

"It is a big mistake to put all fossil fuels in one basket. Britain is recognizing the importance of natural gas in its fuel mix. Hopefully, the U.S. will start to recognize that natural gas will be needed as a base load fuel for electricity production for the foreseeable future. Natural gas and renewables go hand in hand, not replace one another in electricity production."

According to a Politico report last year, U.S. officials engaged with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela as calls for a ban on Russian oil imports grew.

A worker looks out onto the weather deck of the Armada gas condensate platform, operated by BG Group Plc, in the North Sea, off the coast of Aberdeen, U.K. (Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed back on those concerns during a press briefing at the time, the report noted, telling reporters that discussions over oil were just one aspect of the administration's talks with those countries.

"I just outlined each of those specific scenarios and the range of discussions that we’re having with each of those countries," Psaki said. "I don’t think anybody is advocating for Iran to continue acquiring a nuclear weapon, perhaps except for the former president, who pulled us out of the deal."

Shaffer also argued that other Western governments are starting to realize wind and solar will not be enough for their energy needs.

"Seventy-nine percent of Britain’s fuel consumption is from fossil fuels. It doesn’t help the environment or climate to import the energy Britain uses versus produce at home," Shaffer said. "The government’s statement is correct — importing LNG (liquified natural gas) generates more emissions than using pipeline supplied natural gas. Western governments are starting to face the reality that wind and solar doesn’t replace natural gas."

The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment.

The move also comes at a critical point politically, Gardiner said, noting that it will help strengthen Sunak's standing among conservatives.

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"I think that Sunak is doing this in part in order to strengthen his support on the right of the Conservative Party, which is vital if they are going to win the next general election in 2024," Gardiner said. "The Conservative government is moving rightwards on immigration policy, energy policy and in several areas on the cultural front in order to maintain support from traditional supporters who have been abandoning the party since Sunak took over from Liz Truss. So, in my view, this is a smart move by the prime minister."

U.K. regulators expect the first new licenses to be issued later this year, according to a report from Reuters, while 115 bids from producers are still being evaluated.

Sunak also vowed that the country would invest in industries such as carbon capture and storage, arguing the move will create jobs and make British energy production more environmentally friendly that relying on overseas imports.

A frustrated commuter pushes a Just Stop Oil protester out of the way as the demonstration blocked his van. (Just Stop Oil/Local News X/TMX)

"We’re choosing to power up Britain from Britain and invest in crucial industries such as carbon capture and storage, rather than depend on more carbon intensive gas imports from overseas, which will support thousands of skilled jobs, unlock further opportunities for green technologies and grow the economy," Sunak said.

But Shaffer warned such technology is not yet a "commercial reality."

"Carbon capture is not a commercial reality yet," Shaffer said. "There are a lot of policies promoted, such as carbon capture and hydrogen that are ideas but far from a technological and commercial reality."

Reached for comment by Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said the organization has "no intention of stopping our action until the government does an about-turn and agrees with us, the scientists, its own advisers, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the majority of the U.K. public that we need to stop licensing new oil and gas."

Gardiner believes Sunak has moved the U.K. in a positive direction with the recent decision. 

"I think Rishi Sunak is moving in the right direction," Gardiner said. "The British Conservative government has to stand up for Conservative principles, and that includes advancing British energy independence and not relying upon international competitors for energy resources. This move by Sunak also sends a very clear signal to the enemies of the free world, especially China and Russia, that the U.K. is determined to be a powerful energy power on the world stage."

Michael Lee is a writer at Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @UAMichaelLee