UK Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said the country will not be able to meet its carbon emissions targets and must move to electrification immediately. According to Sina Finance, she also said she would take a pragmatic approach to oil and gas licenses.

Fahnbulleh, who was appointed Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary by U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July, said achieving the Paris Agreement climate goals is a top priority and requires domestic action. She also blamed the previous Conservative government for failing to plan Aberdeen's industrial transition, saying more than 70,000 related jobs have been lost there over the past decade.

She said she is still reviewing all evidence on whether to reapprove the controversial Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. The projects remain uncertain after last year's court ruling, while recent reports said Jackdaw is still awaiting a final government decision and Rosebank remains under review.

Fahnbulleh said oil and gas will remain part of the energy mix until enough stable baseload power, such as nuclear energy, is available. She added that the government is closely watching rising global oil and gas prices, which are also pushing up household energy bills in the U.K.