Energy Security Crisis
UK Fossil Fuel Resources are declining.
Energy security refers to a country's ability to meet its own energy needs using its own resources. In the UK, we have historically enjoyed long periods of energy security, first through the exploitation of our initially ample coal resources and later through the development of the North Sea.
The UK's coal, oil, and gas reserves are in decline. The last deep coal mine closed in 2015. Gas production has been in decline since 2001, and we have been a net importer of gas since 2005. In 2024, we imported 52% of our total gas demand. Oil production has also been in decline since 1999, and we have been net importers of primary oil since 2004.
We are reaching the end of our indigenous resources, and it is forecast that by 2050, we will be almost entirely dependent on overseas suppliers for our gas and oil needs, regardless of whether new exploration drilling is permitted or not in the North Sea or elsewhere in the UK.