The Court of Appeal has held that if the Government’s interpretation of the Paris Agreement is “tenable” the courts will not interfere – Six Pump Court

‘The case concerned the UK Government’s approval of UK Export Finance’s (“UKEF”) $1.15 billion investment in a liquified natural gas project in Mozambique. UKEF is the Government’s export credit agency and its aim is to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance from the private sector.’

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Six Pump Court, 16th January 2024

Source: 6pumpcourt.co.uk

EDF wind farm forced to pay £5.5m back to customers after overcharging grid – The Independent

Posted March 5th, 2024 in electricity, energy, financial regulation, licensing, news by tracey

‘A wind farm owned by EDF has been forced to pay £5.5 million into a fund designed to help vulnerable customers. The news comes after regulator Ofgem found that it had overcharged the grid.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK quits treaty that lets fossil fuel firms sue governments over climate policies – The Guardian

Posted February 22nd, 2024 in climate change, energy, news, treaties by sally

‘The UK is pulling out of a treaty that lets fossil fuel firms sue governments over their climate policies.’

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The Guardian, 22nd February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal action launched against ‘rip-off’ secret commissions on UK firms’ energy bills – The Guardian

Posted February 1st, 2024 in class actions, energy, fees, news, small businesses, third parties by sally

‘Businesses across the UK have been forced to pay an extra 10% on average for their gas and electricity because suppliers routinely add third-party broker commissions to their bills, according to a leading litigation law firm.’

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The Guardian, 31st January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Onshore wind policy in England subject to legal challenge – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 29th, 2024 in climate change, energy, government departments, judicial review, news, planning by sally

‘The UK government’s decision to omit onshore wind projects from the types of energy infrastructure projects that can generally be considered as ‘nationally significant infrastructure projects’ (NSIPs) under planning policy applicable in England is subject to a new legal challenge.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 26th January 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Gas drilling at site in Jeremy Hunt’s Surrey constituency given green light – The Guardian

‘Gas drilling at a site in the Surrey Hills can go ahead after the court of appeal ruled that no further attempts to stop the project could be brought to court.’

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The Guardian, 9th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sizewell C nuclear plant project upheld by Court of Appeal – BBC News

‘Government approval of the planned Sizewell C nuclear plant was lawful, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

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BBC News, 20th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ruling indicates Upper Tribunal’s “narrow approach” towards windfarm capital allowances – OUT-LAW.com

Posted December 14th, 2023 in capital allowances, energy, news, statutory interpretation, taxation by sally

‘A ruling by the UK’s Upper Tribunal (UT) disallowing certain types of expenditure relating to windfarm projects from qualifying for plant and machinery tax allowances has indicated the tribunal’s “strict and narrow” interpretation of the provisions for qualifying expenditure.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th December 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Coal: UK’s last opencast mine shuts after legal row – BBC News

Posted November 30th, 2023 in energy, environmental protection, miners, news, waste by sally

‘The UK’s last opencast coalmine will close later as fears mount over whether the massive site will be restored.’

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BBC News, 30th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Shell to face human rights claims in UK over chronic oil pollution in Niger delta – The Guardian

Posted November 24th, 2023 in damages, energy, environmental health, human rights, news, pollution by tracey

‘Thousands of Nigerian villagers can bring human rights claims against the fossil fuel company Shell over the chronic oil pollution of their water sources and destruction of their way of life, the high court in London has ruled.’

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The Guardian, 23rd November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

How new UK laws affect ‘nationally significant infrastructure projects’ – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 23rd, 2023 in consultations, energy, environmental protection, news, planning by sally

‘Major new legislation recently enacted in the UK will impact developers seeking to deliver “nationally significant infrastructure projects” (NSIPs) in the years ahead.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 22nd November 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Government plan to use biomass in breach of Climate Change Act, charity argues – Local Government Lawyer

‘A charity is threatening the Government with a judicial review over its biomass strategy, arguing that the plan, which is part of the effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions, is in breach of the Climate Change Act 2008.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th November 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Energy Act 2023 – changes to the regulation of radioactive waste disposal – OUT-LAW.com

Posted November 14th, 2023 in energy, environmental health, news, waste by sally

‘Changes to UK law made when the Energy Act 2023 recently entered into force gives organisations operating low-level waste disposal sites in the nuclear sector a new right to seek an exemption to strict liability rules associated with operating nuclear sites.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 13th November 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

New Acts – legislation.gov.uk

Posted November 3rd, 2023 in employment, energy, equality, internet, legislation, public procurement, rates by tracey

2023 c. 54 – Procurement Act 2023

2023 c. 53 – Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023

2023 c. 51 – Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023

2023 c. 50 – Online Safety Act 2023

2023 c. 52 – Energy Act 2023

Source: www.legislation.gov.uk

S.73 Permissions: Any inconsistency between revised conditions and the description of development held to be unlawful – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 15th, 2023 in energy, local government, news, planning by tracey

‘The High Court recently ruled that a planning permission granted by a council that varied a previous planning permission for a solar farm by removing an electricity substation from the plans was unlawful. Robin Green and Robert Williams examine the judgment.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th September 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Environmental Law News Update – Six Pump Court

‘Following judgment on 24 July, the High Court, in an oral hearing, confirmed its decision on papers that ClientEarth, a non-profit environmental law organisation, with a minority shareholding in Shell Plc, a multinational oil and gas company, failed to establish a prima facie case in its derivative claim against Shell’s Directors regarding the company’s climate change risk management strategy.’

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Six Pump Court, 31st July 2023

Source: 6pumpcourt.co.uk

ClientEarth loses high court fight with Shell over climate strategy – The Guardian

Posted July 25th, 2023 in charities, climate change, company directors, energy, news by sally

‘An environmental law charity has lost an attempt to revive a lawsuit against Shell over its climate strategy after the high court in London refused permission to bring a case against the energy company.’

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The Guardian, 24th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge rejects challenge to Surrey Hills oil and gas exploration plans – The Guardian

‘Fossil fuel prospectors have cleared another hurdle on their path to drill for oil and gas near an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) in the Surrey Hills after campaigners lost a judicial review of the plan.’

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The Guardian, 20th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Landmark Sizewell C ruling instructive for projects of all shapes and sizes – OUT-LAW.com

‘The High Court’s ruling that the UK government’s approval of the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power plant was lawful contains valuable reminders on how projects of all shapes and sizes should approach environmental assessments.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 6th July 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Ofgem moves to make new prepayment meter supplier rules compulsory – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2023 in codes of practice, consultations, energy, news by sally

‘The energy regulator has announced a proposal to make new rules brought in to protect struggling prepayment meter customers a compulsory part of suppliers’ licence conditions.’

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The Guardian, 28th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com