Future Timeline

Environmental activists challenge ‘unlawful’ UK fossil fuel plan in high court

Sat 4 Dec 2021 13.01 GMT

Environmental campaigners will this week ask the high court to rule that the government’s fossil fuel strategy is unlawful, in a case that could undermine the UK’s claim to be leading the fight against climate change.

The campaigners will argue that the government is effectively subsidising oil and gas production with billions of pounds in handouts, which conflicts with its legal duty to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Pressure group Paid to Pollute says oil and gas companies received billions of pounds in tax relief for new oil and gas exploration, and billions more towards decommissioning costs between 2016 and 2020. The group says this amounts to fossil fuel subsidies.

“Public money is supporting businesses that contribute to the climate crisis instead of solving it,” said Kairin van Sweeden, one of three activists who will appear in court. “We have to challenge this deadly use of the public purse. If the Oil and Gas Authority won’t use common sense, perhaps it’ll listen to the courts.”

The hearing comes as controversy mounts over the UK oil and gas industry’s attempts to gain approval for more than a dozen new schemes, even though scientists say new investment in oil and gas projects must stop if governments are to tackle the climate crisis.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... high-court