Thank you for contacting me about deep-sea mining, ocean protection, and oil and gas licences.
As you are aware, the Government has announced its support for a moratorium on the granting of exploitation licences for deep-sea mining projects. My ministerial colleagues and I recognise the growing pressure to extract deep-sea resources and are concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment. The UK Government will not, therefore, sponsor or support the issuing of any such licences for deep sea mining by the International Seabed Authority until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems.
I would like to assure you that the UK is committed to ocean conservation and protection. The Government has committed to protecting at least 30 per cent of the global ocean by 2030 through a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECAMs) and driven this forward through UK-chaired Global Ocean Alliance. In addition, Ministers have supported developing countries to protect the marine environment through projects to protect and restore habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrasses through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund.
Domestically, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has created a network of 178 MPAs across 35,000 square miles of English waters, with a commitment for 70 per cent of designated features to be in a favourable position by 2042. The first three Highly Protected Marine areas in English waters have been designated, enabling nature to fully recover by removing all harmful activities including fishing, construction and dredging, increasing marine biodiversity, and supporting climate-resilient ecosystems to thrive.
Regarding oil and gas licences, I am aware that analysis shows that domestic gas production is on average almost four times cleaner than the process of producing and importing gas in liquified natural gas form. New licences slow the decline in UK oil and gas production and also boost the UK's energy security. I am assured by my ministerial colleagues that the UK remains on track to meet net zero by 2050. The environmental impact of all proposed offshore oil and gas developments are considered by the relevant regulator when considering them for consent. More widely, Defra and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero continue work closely together on achieving net zero and protecting the marine environment.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.