The UK’s outgoing chair of the Climate Change Committee, John Gummer, has labelled the government “hypocrites” for considering the development of a major oil and gas field in the North Sea.

Gummer warns that proceeding with the Rosebank oil and gas field would undermine the country’s reputation as a climate leader.

Energy Secretary Grant Shapps is anticipated to receive a report on the Rosebank oil and gas field from the UK’s offshore oil and gas environmental regulator in the coming weeks.

In response to the impending decision, John Gummer told POLITICO: “I would say to him that if you go around the world, we have had a real reputation of leading in this area (but) since there was any question of extending new exploitation of oil, we have perfectly properly been called hypocrites.”

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson told ELN: “We are committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and are cutting emissions faster than any other G7 country whilst keeping the economy growing, with low carbon sources like renewables and nuclear providing half of the UK’s electricity – all this comes alongside an increase from 14% to 47% in the numbers of homes rated C or above for energy efficiency between 2010 and 2022.

“No decision has been made on Rosebank, however more widely our plans to power up Britain and invest £ 6.6 billion in energy efficiency measures, will support our world-leading position on net zero, while also increasing our energy independence and cutting household bills.”