As the UK’s new energy secretary, Miatta Fahnbulleh faces a challenging start, with protesters already questioning her stance on fossil fuel policies. On her first day, climate activists from Fossil Free London greeted her, dressed as firefighters and urging her to halt plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.
Fahnbulleh, the MP for Peckham known for her outspoken views on the climate crisis, has been appointed as the secretary of state for energy and net zero. Her appointment raises eyebrows among those speculating that Andy Burnham, the current Labour leader, might support new drilling projects in the North Sea.
Protesters outside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) are vocal about their concerns, demanding the cancellation of new drilling projects. Specifically, they are focused on the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields off Scotland’s north-east coast, which are not included in the existing ban on new North Sea drilling licenses.
Climate activists from Fossil Free London stage a protest calling on Fahnbulleh to stop the Rosebank oil and gas field in the North Sea.
Photograph: Vuk Valcic/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock
Fahnbulleh’s predecessor, Ed Miliband, has previously described the Rosebank project as “climate vandalism,” and the decision on these licenses has been pending since Labour took office. The new energy secretary is believed by her allies to have the acumen to challenge arguments suggesting that increased fossil fuel extraction is necessary for the UK’s energy security.
Sources close to Fahnbulleh describe her as “hugely impressive” and well-equipped to grasp complex issues. Tessa Khan, executive director of the campaign group Uplift, reiterated the climate science consensus, saying, “Burning the reserves in existing oil and gas fields will blow the global carbon budget and breach the 1.5C climate limit the government has committed to.”
Fahnbulleh’s approach continues the Miliband era’s focus on decarbonizing the UK’s power sector by 2030, despite criticism from the right. Her leadership at the New Economics Foundation (NEF) from 2017 to 2023 emphasized economic policies rooted in climate and social justice. The NEF, known for coining the “Green New Deal,” advocated for ending new drilling activities in the North Sea in collaboration with Friends of the Earth.
Fahnbulleh headed the New Economics Foundation from 2017 to the end of 2023.
Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian
Her rapid rise in politics is notable; she is the only MP from the 2024 intake to achieve a full cabinet position. Born in Liberia, Fahnbulleh moved to the UK as a child due to political unrest, an experience that shaped her views on inequality. Her academic journey includes a PPE degree from Oxford and a PhD in economic development from LSE.
Having served as an advisor to Miliband and later as a minister, she is viewed as a key intellectual force within the Burnham cabinet. “I think she is an excellent appointment,” said Laura Clarke, CEO of ClientEarth, highlighting Fahnbulleh’s expertise in energy and economics.
As she navigates her new role, Fahnbulleh faces pressures from the right and some within her own party to support new drilling. However, her past actions suggest she is not easily swayed from her principles. Her blunt resignation from a previous position over Labour’s election failures underscores her commitment to her vision.
As the UK grapples with unprecedented heatwaves and climate challenges, Fahnbulleh’s decisions will be closely scrutinized. Her approach to balancing energy security with climate commitments will be pivotal in her tenure as energy secretary.
Original Story at www.theguardian.com