UK Supreme Court's Landmark Ruling: Environmental Assessments Must Include Downstream Emissions for Oil, Gas, Coal Projects

Jun 20, 2024, 08:58 AM

The UK Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling requiring that environmental assessments for onshore oil well sites must include the impact of downstream emissions. This decision follows a legal challenge by former Surrey resident Sarah Finch against Surrey County Council's decision to grant planning permission for an oil development. The ruling, which comes after a five-year campaign, has significant implications for future oil, gas, and coal projects in the UK, making it much harder for new fossil fuel developments to proceed without thorough environmental scrutiny. Environmental activists, including the group Oceana, have welcomed the judgment, which underscores the necessity of considering greenhouse gas emissions in planning decisions and the ecological impact in Marine Protected Areas.