Britain approves new North Sea oil drilling in welcome news for the industry but not activists

British regulators have approved new oil and gas drilling at a site in the North Sea. The U.K.’s North Sea Transition Authority said on Wednesday that it had approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan. The field is operated by Norway’s Equinor and the U.K. firm Ithaca Energy, and is expected to start producing in 2026-2027. Britain’s Conservative government argues that drilling in the Rosebank field northwest of the Shetland Islands will create jobs and bolster the U.K.’s energy security. But environmentalists say it will hurt the country’s attempt to meet its climate goals. Green Party lawmaker Caroline Lucas called the decision to approve drilling “morally obscene.”