The owner of the Jackdaw gas field asserts that the project will not have a significant impact on climate change. A submission detailing the field's environmental impact stated that displacing imported liquified natural gas (LNG) with domestic gas from the Jackdaw field would reduce carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by approximately four million tonnes annually. This reduction is primarily due to eliminating the need for liquefaction, transportation, and regasification processes associated with imported LNG.
The submission also suggested that the climate effects would be "minor," citing the United Kingdom's "well-regulated industry, with targets and commitments that are aligned with the expectations of the Paris Agreement." The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius.
Last year, the Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that the approval of both the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields was unlawful. This ruling stemmed from the government's failure to adequately consider the climate impact of burning the extracted oil and gas from these fields. The legal challenge was initiated by environmental groups Uplift and Greenpeace. Lord Ericht's judgment mandated a more detailed climate assessment and fresh approval from the UK government before production could commence.
The industry regulator required this new assessment after identifying inadequacies in a previous submission. The Jackdaw field is located in the North Sea.