"Effects of climate change outweigh the interests of developers:" UK government green light for two new oilfield permits "unlawful" as it does not take into account CO2 emissions, court rules
"Effects of climate change outweigh the interests of developers:" UK government green light for two new oilfield permits "unlawful" as it does not take into account CO2 emissions, court rules
The judgement came after a case brought by environmental campaigners at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
A court [in the UK] has ruled that consent for two new Scottish oil and gas fields was granted unlawfully and their owners must seek fresh approval from the UK government before production can begin.
The written judgement on the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields [off Shetland] came after a case brought by environmental campaigners, Uplift and Greenpeace, at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
In his judgement, Lord Ericht said a more detailed assessment of the fields' environmental impact was required, taking into account the effect on the climate of burning any fossil fuels extracted.
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Shell's Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea was originally approved by the previous UK Conservative government, and the industry regulator, in summer 2022.
Permission for the Rosebank oil development, 80 miles west of Shetland in the North Atlantic, was granted in autumn 2023.
In a 57-page judgement, Lord Ericht wrote that there was a public interest in having the decision "remade on a lawful basis" because of the effects of climate change - which he said outweighed the interests of the developers.
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