Caroline Lucas has criticised plans to exploit a new oil field as “the greatest act of environmental vandalism in my lifetime”.

Regulators have given the go-ahead for the Rosebank oil and gas field in the North Sea to start developing and producing fossil fuels, angering environmentalists.

The government said it will boost the economy and energy security but opponents believe that the rapid development of renewable energy would better protect consumers and would not produce emissions that cause climate change.

Ms Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, described the decision as “morally obscene”.

She said: “Amidst a summer of raging wildfires and the hottest July on record, this government approves the biggest undeveloped oil and gas field in the North Sea – set to produce more than the combined CO2 emissions of all 28 low-income countries in the world.

“Energy security and cheaper bills aren’t delivered by allowing highly subsidised, foreign-owned fossil fuel giants to extract more oil and gas from these islands and sell it overseas to the highest bidder.

“Giving the green light to this huge new oil field is morally obscene. This government must be held accountable for its complicity in this climate crime.”

The Argus: Caroline Lucas described the move as 'morally obscene'Caroline Lucas described the move as 'morally obscene' (Image: The Argus/Andrew Gardner)

The Rosebank oil and gas field, which lies north-west of Shetland in Scotland and contains up to 350 million barrels of oil, is currently one of the largest untapped discoveries in UK waters.

The site could produce 69,000 barrels of oil per day, around eight per cent of the UK’s projected daily output between 2026 and 2030, and could also produce 44 million cubic feet of gas every day, according to its owners.

The companies behind the oil field, Ithaca Energy and Equinor, said the field is expected to start producing in 2026/27.

Ms Lucas claimed that Rosebank would cause emissions “equal to 28 lowest income countries, busting climate targets and doing nothing for energy security since the vast majority is for export".

READ MORE: Why is Rosebank going ahead and why does it face such opposition?

Energy security secretary Claire Couthinho said: “We are investing in our world-leading renewable energy but, as the independent Climate Change Committee recognise, we will need oil and gas as part of that mix on the path to net zero and so it makes sense to use our own supplies from North Sea fields such as Rosebank.

“The jobs and billions of pounds this is worth to our economy will enable us to have greater energy independence, making us more secure against tyrants like Putin.

“We will continue to back the UK’s oil and gas industry to underpin our energy security, grow our economy and help us deliver the transition to cheaper, cleaner energy.”

The UK government said Rosebank has been subject to extensive scrutiny by the regulators, including undergoing a detailed environmental impact assessment process and a period of public consultation before approval was granted.

It said that all new projects, including Rosebank, will be in line with the natural decline of the North Sea basin.