Press Release
Response to the UK Government decision on Jacdaw
20 October 2026
20 October 2026
Commenting on the UK Government’s decision to back Jackdaw gas field, Miriam Brett, Co-Director at the think tank Future Economy Scotland, said:
“The UK Government’s decision to green-light Jackdaw gas field will breach safe climate limits. It won’t, however, insulate households from eye-watering bills, meaningfully impact domestic energy security, or save North Sea jobs from terminal decline.”
“Our research found that employment in Scotland supported by the oil and gas sector has fallen by around a third between 2014 and 2023, despite hundreds of new licences being awarded in that time. The economic and geological challenges of an ageing basin are very real, and another field won’t reverse the current trajectory. If the UK Government is serious about avoiding the mistakes of deindustrialisation, it must invest in green jobs.”
“Future Economy Scotland also found the net zero transition has the potential to create up to 40,000 more energy jobs than will be lost. However, leaving this critical transition to market forces will fail affected workers and communities. To secure a thriving future for them, the UK and Scottish Governments must develop and implement a proactive green industrial strategy, backed by effective labour market planning.”
[1] To find out more about our work on proactively transitioning the labour market for life beyond fossil fuels, read our report entitled Delivering a Just Transition for Scotland’s Fossil Fuel Workers: https://www.futureeconomy.scot/publications/136-delivering-a-just-transition-for-scotland-s-fossil-fuel-workers
[2] Total employment supported by oil and gas from 2014 to 2023 has fallen by 34,000 jobs over this period, a decrease of 32%. Find out more here: https://www.futureeconomy.scot/publications/136-delivering-a-just-transition-for-scotland-s-fossil-fuel-workers
[3] Future Economy Scotland is a non-partisan think tank that aims to create a new economy that is democratic, sustainable and just. The organisation does not have a formal stance on Scotland’s constitutional future, and is not aligned to any political party or any politician. The organisation is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee operating with charitable principles. For more information, visit: www.futureeconomy.scot