Prime Minister Andy Burnham has drawn sharp criticism from environmental groups after moving to reduce electric vehicle (EV) sales targets and endorse new North Sea oil and gas exploration, policies campaigners say undermine the UK's climate commitments.

The policy adjustments could add millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide to the UK's emissions, according to environmental groups, intensifying concerns as the Prime Minister for the first time on Friday acknowledged the climate crisis was behind hundreds of wildfires ripping across parts of the UK.

"The policy adjustments could add millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide to the UK's emissions."

The government had previously set ambitious targets for EV sales, aiming to phase out new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030. The reported cut in these targets represents a significant shift in the nation's strategy for decarbonising transport.

Concurrently, Mr Burnham's administration has signalled its acceptance of new drilling licences in the North Sea, an area long at the centre of debates between energy security and climate action. Environmentalists argue that expanding fossil fuel extraction directly contradicts the UK's net-zero pledges.

Wildfires Highlight Climate Urgency

The criticism arrives as the UK grapples with the severe impacts of a warming planet. Hundreds of wildfires have devastated regions across the country this summer, prompting Mr Burnham to publicly link these events to the broader climate emergency.

This acknowledgement underscores the immediate and tangible consequences of climate change, providing a stark backdrop to policy decisions on emissions reduction and fossil fuel reliance.

UK wildfires climate change

Green Campaigners Denounce Policy Shift

Environmental campaigners have swiftly condemned the Prime Minister's approach, describing it as a retrograde step that jeopardises the UK's environmental leadership and its ability to meet international climate obligations.

They argue that reducing EV targets sends a contradictory message to consumers and industry, while new North Sea projects lock the country into further fossil fuel dependence for decades to come.

The decisions are expected to ignite further debate in Parliament and among the public, with opposition parties likely to press the government on its commitment to climate action in the coming weeks.