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The U.K has been a big oil producer from fields in the North Sea, but volumes have declined by 6% a year on average between 1999 and 2010 as fields matured and costs soared. While endowed with vast shale gas resources, there has been big pushback over fears about fracking technology and climate change.

The U.K. would welcome Canadian companies experienced in the technology to participate in development, Mr. Fallon said.

In the U.S., the Obama administration is caving to the environmental lobby and last month delayed yet again approval the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas that would have locked up its energy security.

Mr. Fallon said climate change policy and energy security don’t have to be opposites.

“We need to present these arguments in terms of energy security and affordability, as well as fulfilling our climate change ambitions,” he said. “We have to be able to keep our lights on and not be at the mercy of others, we have to retain sovereignty over the energy mix and also sovereignty over the pace at which we decarbonize.”

He said the U.K.’s experience with nuclear energy shows public opinion can change with greater awareness about the importance of energy security.

There was a lot of campaigning against nuclear energy in the 1980s and 1990s, but today nuclear energy has the support of the public and all political parties because it’s known to fuel 20% of electricity, he said.

The U.K. is interested in Canada’s carbon capture and storage experience because the technology could help it reduce climate change impacts of new energy development and of coal-fired stations, he said.