Environment Secretary and Suffolk MP, Thérèse Coffey, comes under fire in Halesworth over the biggest undeveloped oil field in the North Sea

Environment Secretary and Suffolk MP, Thérèse Coffey, has come under fire in Halesworth over the biggest undeveloped oil field in the North Sea.

The criticism came during a debate on Friday as part of Halesworth’s ‘Climate Action Conference’, and it addressed the decision to start extraction at the Rosebank oil field, situated to the west of Shetland.

Professor Catherine Rowett, Norfolk county councillor and former Member of the European Parliament for the East of England, said the decision was a ‘climate crime’.

She added: “I think it’s absolutely appalling to be opening an oil field.

“It will just enable more oil to be consumed which is the opposite direction in which we should be going.”

Prof Rowett appeared alongside other panellists, including Green Party co-leader, Adrian Ramsay, and Suffolk County Council deputy leader, Richard Rout.

Mr Ramsay added: “It’s just deeply irresponsible for the Government to be pulling the rug from targets that had been put in place for decarbonisation.

“It’s just not compatible with any sort of climate science.”

The Rosebank oil field, which is expected to yield its first production over 2026-27, could produce around 6,000 barrels per day.

In Parliament, on June 28, Green MP for Brighton, Pavilion, Caroline Lucas, revealed the field’s production would be equivalent to more CO2 than the 28 lowest-income countries in the world combined.

Suffolk Coastal MP, Thérèse Coffey, defended the move by pointing out that still using oil and gas is part of the transition, with the global oil market also directly affecting the costs of goods across the country.

She said: “There are rural communities that are struggling to make that transition away to be off the gas grid.

“Some of it is really difficult for our housing — it’s got to be a just transition.”

This comes against the backdrop of the Prime Minister’s decision to roll back on some of the Government’s Net Zero commitments.

Despite this, Rishi Sunak still believes the country is on track to achieve its targets.

Ms Coffey continued: “I’m not going to take any lectures frankly when it is the Conservative Government that has driven the reduction in emissions.

“I’m very conscious that many would wish we went faster and further but I put it that, even with this, we will still be seeing a much quicker reduction in the use of fossil fuel in this country than in the rest of the world.”