Despite its efforts to increase renewable energy generation at the expense of fossil fuels, the United Kingdom will become more reliant on natural gas imports in the future years as domestic production diminishes.

According to the Financial Times, an estimate of the UK’s energy demands revealed that the country’s reliance on imported gas will increase from roughly 50% now to as much as 70% by 2030. A decade later, in 2040, the UK will import 80% of the natural gas it consumes, with domestic production accounting for only 15% of total consumption by 2050.

Because of significant pressure from environmentalist organisations on decision-makers, the United Kingdom is one of the most ambitious countries in the energy transition effort.

The government, however, recently decided to approve new drilling despite the opposition. According to energy minister Greg Hands, “Flicking a switch and turning off our domestic source of gas overnight would put energy security, British jobs and industries at risk and we would be even more dependent on foreign imports.”