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North Sea development quashed

Rosebank & Jackdaw ruled unlawful in historic win for climate campaigners
Katie Hill - Editor-in-Chief, My Green Pod
Sunset behind an offshore oil platform

The controversial Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields have been ruled unlawful by the Scottish Court of Session, and consent for their development has been quashed.

The court has ruled that the government must now consider the full environmental impact of the emissions from the fields, and then make a new decision on whether the projects can go ahead.

The court ruled that no oil and gas must be extracted during this period. Campaigners argue that new oil and gas projects are not compatible with the UK’s climate commitments and that the ball is now in the government’s court on the future of the North Sea.

Scope 3 emissions ignored

Greenpeace argued in court that for both Rosebank and Jackdaw the impact of emissions caused from burning the oil and gas extracted from those fields, otherwise known as scope 3 or downstream emissions, was unlawfully ignored by the oil companies and the previous government.

After the Supreme Court ruled in June that these emissions must be taken into account, the government accepted the illegality of the permits.

Now the Scottish Court of Session has ruled that the sites are unlawful and oil and gas cannot be extracted unless their full climate impacts are properly assessed.

‘This is a historic win – the age of governments approving new drilling sites by ignoring their climate impacts is over. The courts have agreed with what climate campaigners have said all along: Rosebank and Jackdaw are unlawful, and their full climate impacts must now be properly considered. 

‘Fossil fuels are an economic dead end. Now that the ball is back in the government’s court, ministers have the opportunity to sort out the legal mess left by their predecessors. They should use this moment to set out a new path for the North Sea, reaffirming their commitment to no new oil and gas, and prioritising clean energy.

‘The only way forward for a secure future means ending our reliance on oil and gas and creating a renewable energy system that provides this country with secure, stable jobs, affordable clean energy and economic opportunities.’

PHILIP EVANS
Senior campaigner at Greenpeace UK

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