Fifty MPs and peers from all major parties write to the energy secretary to demand a rethink.
In their letter, the cross-party group argue it would be "deeply irresponsible" to give the green light to an oil field, west of Shetland, which is expected to hold about 500 million barrels worth of oil.
The letter says if the oil field is developed, it "risks putting the delivery of our climate targets out of reach" and could "weaken the UK's climate diplomacy" - arguing the UK would struggle to persuade other countries to reduce their production of fossil fuels if the UK doesn't itself. Former Labour shadow energy secretary Barry Gardiner said: "It is the British public, not Equinor, Shell or Siccar, who pay to develop these oil fields."
Mr Sunak has defended his decision to issue new exploration licences, saying: "Licensing decisions are obviously made the normal way, but what I'd say is that - entirely consistent with transitioning to net zero - that we use the energy that we've got here at home because we're going to need it for decades."
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