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Don't Drill in Dunsfold

Jeremy Hunt, MP South West Surrey

Compass Surrey are deeply distressed and angry to have to report that, on the very day that 2023 was confirmed as being the hottest year on record, it was announced that the Court of Appeal had overturned the appeal of Protect Dunsfold and the Good Law Project, supported by Waverley Borough Council, to stop the drilling for fossil fuels at Dunsfold.

This utter farce is enabled by the national government and its pathetic excuse for climate policies.

Join the leader of Waverley Borough Council and the Portfolio Holder for Environment & Sustainability in writing to Jeremy Hunt, both as the MP and a senior representative of that government, asking for an explanation for why he and his government have enabled this travesty.

This open letter seeks Hunt's support for the ongoing challenge to UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) and to request an explanation as to why, as a member of the government, he considers the ongoing extraction of oil, gas and coal, including the extraction of natural gas in his own constituency, as consistent with a net zero strategy and a transition away from fossil fuels.

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Compass Surrey

To: Jeremy Hunt, MP South West Surrey
From: [Your Name]

Dear Jeremy,

You will be aware that, on the day that 2023 was confirmed as being the hottest year on record, it was announced that the Court of Appeal had overturned the appeal of Protect Dunsfold and the Good Law Project, supported by Waverley Borough Council, to stop the drilling for fossil fuels at Dunsfold, in your own constituency.

We were bitterly disappointed at the decision but outraged that the exploitation of new reserves of fossil fuels is now endorsed by the present government and therefore the judicial system when action on the climate crisis is more urgent than ever.

We were particularly struck by the comments of Stephen Sanderson, Chief Executive of UKOG who was quoted as saying:

"We believe that a successful project will be beneficial to local and national level energy and economic interests and is fully in keeping with the government's Hydrogen, Energy Security and Net Zero strategies."

Although we consider that Mr Sanderson is wrong in that the project is beneficial to local and national energy and economic interests, he is certainly correct that the policy is fully in keeping with the government’s Net Zero Strategy.

Sadly it is the policy of the government in which you serve as Chancellor of the Exchequer that encourages exactly this kind of desecration of our landscape with such scant regard for the future of our planet. You stood alongside both of us back in January 2022, challenging the proposed drilling for hydrocarbons in Dunsfold and you are now part of a government that rolls back the climate change agenda – a government that has stated, in all seriousness, that the route to net zero is defined by even more drilling for fossil fuels.

Ever since we held a consultation exercise on the proposed drilling operation back in 2019, we have been involved in a long running battle to challenge the drilling for fossil fuels in an Area of Great Landscape Value and recently committed to taking this to the Supreme Court if allowed the right of appeal. Sadly, the appeal was not granted and we must resort to other legal means to continue to oppose the drilling for fossil fuels within our own borough.

We are writing to seek your support for our ongoing challenge to UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) and to request an explanation as to why, as a member of the government, you consider the ongoing extraction of oil, gas and coal, including the extraction of natural gas in your own constituency, as consistent with a net zero strategy and a transition away from fossil fuels.

With kind regards,

Paul Follows, Council Leader
Steve Williams. Portfolio Holder for Environment & Sustainability