Climate activists today (Thurs) draped Rishi Sunak’s £2m mansion in a giant black cloth after he controversially backed further drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea.<br /><br />Campaigners used ladders to scale the prime minister's home, near Northallerton, North Yorks., after he said more fossil fuels would be extracted from UK waters.<br /><br />After reaching the top of the building, the activists unfolded a huge 200 sq metres (2152ft) of an oil-black piece of fabric covering a whole side of the luxury mansion. <br /><br />At the same time, two activists unfurled a banner emblazoned with the words “Rishi Sunak - Oil Profits or Our Future?” across the grass in front of the property. <br /><br />Sunak’s government has come under criticism for pushing ahead with plans to hand out around 100 new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.<br /><br />He has also indicated that he will approve drilling at Rosebank - the UK’s largest undeveloped oil field. <br /><br />A Green Peace spokesperson said the move flew in the face of multiple warnings from the government’s own climate advisers - as well as the International Energy Agency and the UN Secretary General.<br /><br />And they warned any new fossil fuel projects risk tipping the world into the danger zone above 1.5C of warming. <br /><br />Commenting on the protest, Philip Evans, Greenpeace UK’s climate campaigner, said: “We desperately need our prime minister to be a climate leader, not a climate arsonist. <br /><br />“Just as wildfires and floods wreck homes and lives around the world, Sunak is committing to a massive expansion of oil and gas drilling. <br /><br />“He seems quite happy to hold a blowtorch to the planet if he can score a few political points by sowing division around climate in this country. <br /><br />"This is cynical beyond belief.<br /><br />“Sunak is even willing to peddle the old myth about new oil and gas helping ordinary people struggling with energy bills when he knows full well it’s not true. <br /><br />“More North Sea drilling will only benefit oil giants who stand to make even more billions from it, partly thanks to a giant loophole in Sunak’s own windfall tax.<br /><br />“The experts are clear - we can’t afford any new oil and gas, and the fossil fuel industry certainly doesn’t need another helping hand in destroying the climate. <br /><br />“What we need is a clean, affordable energy system fit for the 21st century. It’s time for Sunak to choose between Big Oil’s profits or our future on a habitable planet.”<br /><br />The decision to offer more drilling licenses was part of a series of climate policy row-backs following the Uxbridge by-election results.<br /><br />And it comes amidst a summer of devastating wildflires, floods and heatwaves<br /><br />July has seen the hottest three-week period ever recorded, the three hottest days on record, and the warmest ocean temperatures ever for this season.<br /><br />Greenpeace campaigners are warning that any new oil and gas from the North Sea will do nothing for our energy security or bills despite government rhetoric.
