Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been appointed as director and co-chairman of Better Earth, a new energy-focused company that includes a high-profile and controversial roster of associates, including Steve Bannon, uranium entrepreneur Amir Adnani, and Britain’s youngest peer, Charlotte Owen.
Better Earth, incorporated in December 2023 by Adnani, a Canadian-Iranian businessman, is positioning itself as an “energy transition company.” Despite its lofty ambitions, the company is headquartered in a modest serviced office building in Sevenoaks. Its under-construction website claims it will work with national governments to attract investment and reduce emissions ahead of 2030.
The company’s leadership has raised eyebrows due to the backgrounds of its key figures. Johnson, who championed nuclear energy during his time in office, was added to the company’s board on 1st May, according to filings with Companies House. Just days later, Charlotte Owen, now Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge, joined the team despite lacking any prior experience in the energy sector.
Adnani, the company’s founder, is the president and CEO of Uranium Energy Corp, a US-based uranium mining and exploration company, and has close ties to Steve Bannon, the former adviser to Donald Trump. Adnani is also linked to a network of offshore companies and has been an advocate for nuclear energy, particularly in light of Johnson’s £700 million investment in the Sizewell C nuclear reactor project announced in 2022.
While Johnson hailed Sizewell C as a crucial step towards energy security, critics, including Green MP Caroline Lucas, described the project as “massively costly” and risky. Adnani, however, was enthusiastic about Johnson’s nuclear push, expressing his support on social media.
Adnani has appeared multiple times on Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, discussing his ambitions for what he describes as “full spectrum energy dominance,” a phrase that has raised concerns given the players involved in Better Earth.
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