An investigation by The Ferret has found that since 2011, 127 former oil and gas employees have been recruited into top government roles and ministerial advisory boards. 

These findings are hardly surprising, as almost three-quarters of the employees worked for one of three major energy giants: BP, Shell or Centrica.

The Ferret asked me for a comment on this story, this is what I told them:

The Government’s dithering on the climate and nature crises is hardly a surprise when the influence of the fossil fuel industrial complex looms large in the corridors of power. It’s particularly concerning that fossil fuel employees are being allowed anywhere near the watchdog that is meant to regulate their former industry, and are being allowed to hold positions in the department responsible for transitioning away from polluting energy sources.”

We know that carbon emissions are the root cause of environmental destabilisation. They are a key driver of increasingly extreme weather patterns, food price inflation, and water shortages. So fossil fuel enablers should be made pariahs, not policymakers in the highest levels of government.

Read the full article from The Ferret here.