“More than half a century ago, massive discoveries of oil and gas reserves in the North Sea turned Britain into an energy powerhouse and reshaped its economy.

But over the years, the politics and geology of extracting fossil fuels changed drastically. Production in the North Sea steadily dropped as the basin aged. The urgent need to tackle global warming meant drilling faced increasing political pressure, higher taxes and tougher regulations. And once-vibrant cities, particularly in northeast Scotland, faced severe decline.

Now the British government, in a decision Prime Minister Andy Burnham characterized as 'pragmatic,' has greenlit a major offshore natural gas project in the North Sea.”

From New York Times.