The Government has been accused of complacently standing by while oil and gas drilling starts in the Arctic despite the risks to the environment.
Companies such as Shell are not yet able to demonstrate they could clean up an oil spill in the harsh but pristine conditions of the Arctic, MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) said.
And a recent report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned only one-third of already proven fossil fuels can be burnt before 2050 if temperatures are to be kept from rising by more than 2C, widely regarded as the threshold for dangerous climate change.
As a result, exploring for new reserves in the Arctic is needlessly risky, the MPs argued.
The report scrutinising the Government's Arctic policy follows an EAC report published last September that called for a halt to drilling in the Arctic until there are stronger protections against oil spills.
EAC chairwoman Joan Walley said: "What happens in the Arctic will affect the UK, impacting our weather systems and biodiversity.
"Yet this Government is complacently standing by and watching new oil and gas drilling in the region, even though companies like Shell cannot prove they could clean up an oil spill in such harsh conditions."
A Government spokesman said: "We disagree with the committee's call for a moratorium on new oil and gas drilling. We are very aware of the possible environmental impact of an oil spill in the Arctic and support the use of the highest drilling standards."
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