Christian organisations urge government to abandon fossil fuels

On the day the International Court of Justice delivered a landmark opinion saying countries have a legal duty to tackle climate change, a letter on behalf of 18 Christian organisations and denominations was delivered to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. The letter urged the abandonment of fossil fuels and expressed deep concern that further oil and gas extraction might be permitted by the government under its regulatory processes, despite the government's new guidance on oil and gas extraction requiring consideration of the environmental impacts. The letter called for the climate leadership that was promised in the Labour manifesto.

The groups signing the letter said they were particularly alarmed by the proposed Rosebank oil field which was incompatible with safe climate limits.

Catholic Signatories included: Christine Allen, Director of CAFOD, Lorna Gold, Executive Director, Laudato Si' Movement, Lorraine Currie, CEO of SCIAF; Anne Peacey, Chair of Trustees, National Justice and Peace Network and Jill Kent, Chair ofJustice and Peace Scotland

Rev James Grote who was in the group delivering the letter said "Climate change has now become today's emergency in Europe. If we are to continue to live in hope, we have to act now and move away from burning fossil fuels. This is our only hope for our one and only planet. Agreeing to the development of the Rosebank oil field would be a step closer to despair. The British government must give us hope."

In January of this year, the previous government's approval of Rosebank was overturned in the courts, primarily on the grounds that the developers did not account for the emissions that would be created by the inevitable burning of the huge quantities of oil and gas that would be produced by the Rosebank field over its lifetime. These emissions are so large, that they are larger than the combined emissions of the world's 28 poorest countries. This was a significant legal win in the fight to end of fossil fuel production in the UK.

But in June, the government announced new rules for the process that governs oil and gas project approvals. With these new rules in place, Rosebank's lead developer - Norwegian oil giant Equinor - is expected to submit a new application to get Rosebank approved, this time including the calculation of its lifetime emissions.

Over recent weeks a number of open letters from ocean groups, health institutions, Scottish groups, grassroots communities, parent voices and now Christian groups, have been sent to the Government expressing opposition to the exploitation of the Rosebank field, demonstrating a strong consensus across society that the project must not be given permission to proceed.

The full letter text follows:

Rt Hon. Sir Keir Starmer MP
Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

23rd July 2025

Dear Prime Minister,

We've recently experienced yet another record-breaking heatwave made more likely and more intense by the climate crisis. Last year was the hottest in recorded history with a cost of more than £219bn to the global economy (Guardian) and Lancet Public Health suggest that heat deaths in Europe could triple by the end of the century. This will only get worse as global temperatures rise due to climate change fuelled by fossil fuels.

As concerned faith groups across the UK, we declare that we have No Faith in Fossil Fuels.

In the words of the late Pope Francis: "Now is the time for new courage in abandoning fossil fuels to accelerate the development of zero-or positive-impact sources of energy."

We welcome the government's new guidance on oil and gas extraction and the recognition of the need for companies to consider the environmental impact of burning oil and gas in consenting decisions.

However, we would like to express our deep concern that new oil and gas extraction within existing licenses will now be allowed to progress through the regulatory process. The government's own advisors have shown how continued reliance on fossil fuels undermines UK energy security and our commitments to net zero. This also neglects to acknowledge the impact of the climate crisis on communities globally, especially people living in poverty.

Hundreds of Christians from across the UK recently gathered on Ash Wednesday in London to pray for an end to new oil and gas projects and lament the human cost of the climate crisis. Following the service, many took part in a 24-hour prayer vigil on the pavement outside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to honour those around the world whose lives have already been lost by the continued expansion of fossil fuels.

We are particularly alarmed by the proposed Rosebank oil field. The combustion emissions of Rosebank's 500 million barrels of oil and gas would amount to more than the combined annual CO2 emissions of all 28 lowest-income countries in the world. Should Equinor reapply for permission to develop Rosebank, it will be clear that this enormous field is fundamentally incompatible with safe climate limits. A recent study published by University College London found that opening new North Sea oil and gas fields is incompatible with achieving the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

Allowing such developments, intended to operate for decades, will neither help the UK to become a clean energy superpower as stated in your manifesto, or achieve energy security in the context of continuing global conflict, nor is it just to communities in countries who bear the brunt of climate breakdown while contributing the least to this crisis.

As concerned faith groups, we are calling on the government to reject Rosebank as a key opportunity to show the courage that the late Pope Francis calls for and the climate leadership that you promised in your own manifesto.

Signed,

Catherine Wheeler, Moderator to the General Assembly, United Reformed Church
Revd Richard Andrew and Matthew Forsyth, President & Vice President of the Methodist Conference, Methodist Church
Major Heather Poxon, Environmental Officer, The Salvation Army UK and Ireland
Christine Allen, Director, CAFOD
Jennifer Larbie, Head of UK Advocacy and Campaigns, Christian Aid
Sam Perriman, Public Policy Lead, Tearfund
Lorna Gold, Executive Director, Laudato Si' Movement
Revd. Dr David Gregory, Convenor of BUEN, Baptist Union Environment Network
Lorraine Currie, CEO, SCIAF
Andy Atkins, CEO, A Rocha UK
George Dow, Chair, Green Christian
Revd. Dr Darrell D. Hannah, Chair, Operation Noah
Revd. Naomi Nixon, CEO, Student Christian Movement
Anne Peacey, Chair of Trustees, National Justice and Peace Network
Jill Kent, Chair, Justice and Peace Scotland
Richard Murray, Chairperson, Eco-Congregation Scotland
Josh Smedley, CEO, Just Love
Mark Francis, Local Groups Coordinator, Christian Climate Action