UK has more fossil fuel sites in outstanding nature protected areas than any other country

The UK has the highest number of fossil fuel sites in nature protected areas making each one a “sign of hypocrisy”, analysis has revealed.

Fossil fuel extraction and exploration is taking place at almost 3,000 sites in protected areas around the world leading to 47 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide if fully exploited - four times the annual emissions of the world’s biggest polluter, China.

Analysis by the Leave it in the Ground Initiative (Lingo) assessed the potential CO2 emissions from fossil fuel activities in protected areas for each country. China, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia made up the top three and the UK, Australia, US and Canada were all in the top 12.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) which is set to preside over the UN’s annual climate summit in November and December also featured in the top 12 countries, with oil and gas activities in the Marawah biosphere reserve - a refuge for dugongs, sea turtles and corals.

Kjell Kühne, a geographic information expert at Lingo, which produced the study, told the Guardian “it was a good moment” to show the UAE “ an opportunity to actually exercise leadership in that area for protection.”

Globally, the activities affect more than 800 areas established to defend nature including marine protection areas in the UK, the Arctic national wildlife refuge in the US, Canada’s Rocky Mountain parks, and the Coongie Lakes in South Australia.

China’s Xilin Gol natural steppe protected area and the Jubail marine wildlife sanctuary in Saudi Arabia also contain fossil fuel activities. The sites included are oil and gas operations, coal mines, fossil fuel sites in development and those with exploration licences.

According to the analysis, the UK has 509 fossil fuel sites in protected areas - more than any other country, with most in the North Sea.

It found 170 oil and gas sites in the southern North Sea Ospar marine protected area and further sites in the north Norfolk sandbanks, Saturn reef, and Liverpool Bay protected areas. The Faroe-Shetland sponge belt Ospar area is also an area of major fossil fuel exploitation.

The South Downs national park hosts nine oil and gas sites, with other sites in the area of outstanding natural beauty in Lincolnshire Wolds and the North York Moors national park.

The researchers said most of the major oil and gas companies profit from oil and gas extraction in protected areas.

They cross-referenced maps of protected areas recognised by the UN environment programme and the International Union for Conservation of Nature with information on fossil fuel sites from industry-standard data provider Rystad.

The study identified 2,933 fossil fuel sites in 835 protected areas around the world but said the analysis was likely to be an underestimate as it only included internationally recognised protected areas and officially declared fossil fuel activities.

A spokesperson for the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “The UK’s expert regulators consider and assess the environmental impacts, including to habitats, before any decisions on new oil or gas projects.

“We know oil and gas will continue to be needed now and in the coming years as we scale up renewables and new nuclear to boost Britain’s energy security and bring down bills in the long term.”