Government urged to end fossil fuel bias in planning rules

Under current rules, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) gives “great weight” to the supposed benefits of oil and gas extraction. This means fossil fuel projects are tilted in favour of approval – even though the International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned there is no room for new oil and gas fields if the world is to avoid climate catastrophe.

In a letter addressed to deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, the campaigners are calling for the government to:

• Remove the “great weight” given to oil and gas extraction in the NPPF
• Ensure new National Development Management Policies (NDMPs) reflect climate science and exclude fossil fuels
• Stop councils being forced to plan positively for oil and gas projects

Campaigners argue that continuing to back fossil fuels threatens communities already on the frontline of flooding, heatwaves and rising energy bills – while undermining the UK’s credibility on climate leadership.

The letter was coordinated by Friends of the Earth and supported by Greenpeace, National Trust, The Wildlife Trusts, CRPE, Centre for Sustainable Energy, Coal Action Network, Campaign for National Parks and Wildlife and Countryside Link.

Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said:

“It is indefensible that in 2025 our planning system still stacks the deck in favour of more fossil fuels. This government was elected on a manifesto that promised independent clean energy by 2030 and assurances it would take ‘decisive action’ to achieve that. Allowing bias towards fossil fuel extraction to linger in the pages of national planning policy fully contradicts that ambition.” 

“Communities have fought tooth and nail to keep drilling and fracking out of their backyards. The government must listen and remove predisposition towards fossil fuel projects once and for all.”

Dr Douglas Parr, policy director at Greenpeace UK, said:

"The privileged position of fossil fuels is deeply embedded in our laws and regulations. A century of easy access to politicians has let the oil and gas lobby entrench their special treatment in ways that distort both democracy and the market in their favour. As we enter an era where our future economic well-being is based on clean technologies rather than burning stuff, those deep seams of entitlement need to be removed if the UK is going to benefit from the 21st century economy and fulfil the government's clean energy ambitions."

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 

“The fossil fuel industry has its hooks deep in day-to-day decision-making, from planning to consumer choices. To build a strong, nature-positive, low-carbon economy, the Government must reshape the system to make destructive choices like fossil fuel extraction a thing of the past and instead to reward investment in nature – our Critical Natural Infrastructure.”

Anthony Collins, policy lead at Coal Action Network, said:

“We are hopeful that the Government finally listens to the largest group of people who made submissions to the last NPPF consultation, calling for planning policy to remove caveats which could result in local authorities approving fossil fuel extraction. It is time for planning to be consistent with other areas of Government in this area and close the door on all forms of coal mining and fossil fuel extraction.”

Dan Stone, policy officer at Centre for Sustainable Energy, said:

“National planning policy is not aligned with our climate commitments and the actions required to meet them. The government has committed to issuing no new licences to explore new oil and gas fields, but planning policy (which local councils have to follow) still promotes new oil and gas extraction. It's high time planning policy is updated to keep remaining fossil fuels in the ground.”

Recent polling by Friends of the Earth found that 80% of British people support the expansion of the UK's renewable energy infrastructure, including most Conservative and Reform voters.

The survey also found that 76% of Brits would support the renewable energy industry using more UK-made components and 78% of people backed those responsible for pollution, such as fossil fuel companies, paying more to help fund environmental action.

ENDS

Editor’s notes

Additional quotes:

Jackie Copley, campaigns lead for CPRE, said:

"CPRE opposes fracking as it is damaging to the natural environment. There are many harms, including noise from drilling, landscape impacts from well pads and rigging equipment. Huge volumes of water are trucked in thousands of HGV vehicle movements on rural lanes and then dirty toxic waste must be treated. Methane and other harmful greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. Science shows us that fossil fuel must stay in the ground.

Our group in Lancashire found fracking cannot be done safely in the Bowland Shale after working with the site operator, regulators, and the local community. In any case, seismic events occurred even when relatively small amounts of frack fluid were used in the exploration phase, which led to the government’s moratorium.

CPRE supports decarbonisation of our energy system to clean energy and it is influencing government to do this with minimal harm to rural places and deriving maximum local community benefits".

Deleting “Great Weight” for oil and gas extraction letter

See a copy of the letter addressed to the deputy prime minister. It urges ministers to amend the NPPF and NDMPs to remove the “great weight” given to oil and gas projects, mirroring the precedent set in 2018 when support for coal extraction was withdrawn.

• The International Energy Agency’s Net Zero by 2050 report (2021) states there is no need for new oil and gas fields beyond those already approved.
• In its recent report Methane – Keeping up the Momentum (2024), the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee highlighted that the fuel supply industry remains one of the largest contributors to UK methane emissions, responsible for 7–8% of the total. Methane is a greenhouse gas more than 80 times as powerful as CO₂ over 20 years.
• In June 2024, the UK Supreme Court’s landmark Finch ruling confirmed that downstream emissions from fossil fuel projects must be considered in planning decisions. NGOs argue that retaining a planning bias in favour of oil and gas is inconsistent with this judgment.
• Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto committed to ending new oil and gas licences and delivering a clean power system by 2030. The manifesto reads: “We will not issue new licences to explore new fields because they will not take a penny off bills, cannot make us energy secure, and will only accelerate the worsening climate crisis. In addition, we will not grant new coal licences and will ban fracking for good.” Many local communities who fought fossil fuel projects celebrated this commitment – they will feel let down if it is not delivered through planning reform.
• The government amended the NPPF to remove barriers to onshore wind – demonstrating that reforms can be made swiftly when there is political will. NGOs are urging ministers to show the same leadership on fossil fuels.
• Friends of the Earth successfully challenged the previous government over its inadequate climate action plan at the High Court.

Friends of the Earth polling

Recent polling found that the overwhelming majority of the British public (8 in 10) support the expansion of the UK's renewable energy infrastructure, including most Conservative and Reform voters. Britain’s renewables expansion backed by overwhelming majority of people