Category: environmental protection

Supreme Court to hear case on environmental impact assessments and downstream greenhouse gas emissions next week – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 14th, 2023 in appeals, environmental health, environmental protection, local government, news, planning, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court will next week (21-22 June) hear a case brought against Surrey County Council over whether the local authority acted unlawfully by not requiring an impact assessment of a proposed oil well’s impact on downstream greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions before granting planning permission.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 13th June 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Acting for “environment-harming” clients “not about access to justice” – Legal Futures

Posted June 13th, 2023 in civil justice, environmental protection, law firms, legal advice, news by sally

‘Decisions taken by law firms to act for clients, including “environment-harming” fossil fuel companies and others, are not about access to justice or legal ethics, a leading academic has argued.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 13th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Supreme Court will not hear appeal on largest-ever group action – Legal Futures

Posted June 12th, 2023 in appeals, case management, class actions, environmental protection, news, pollution, Supreme Court by tracey

‘The Supreme Court has refused mining giant BHP permission to appeal the Court of Appeal’s decision allowing the largest group action ever to go ahead.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 12th June 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Watchdog bans Shell’s ‘misleading’ low-carbon ads – The Independent

Posted June 7th, 2023 in advertising, climate change, complaints, energy, environmental protection, news, ombudsmen, pollution by sally

‘Shell omitted any mention that oil and gas continued to make up the “vast majority” of its business, the Advertising Standards Authority said.’

Full Story

The Independent, 6th June 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Ministers face legal challenge over cuts to walking and cycling investment in England – The Guardian

Posted June 5th, 2023 in bicycles, budgets, climate change, environmental health, environmental protection, government departments, health, judicial review, news, pollution, transport by sally

‘The government faces a legal challenge to its decision to cut investment in walking and cycling in England, over claims that the move bypassed legal processes and risks scuppering commitments over the climate emergency and air pollution.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court refuses to hear claim that council should have conducted Habitat Regulations Assessment before green-lighting farm expansion – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 2nd, 2023 in appeals, environmental health, environmental protection, judicial review, local government, news, planning, Supreme Court by sally

‘The Supreme Court has refused to hear a case that alleged Herefordshire Council failed to carry out the proper habitat regulations assessments before giving planning permission for farm buildings bordering the River Wye catchment area.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 2nd June 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The UK Bill of Rights: Changes to Human Rights Protection may Impact Climate Litigation – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted May 23rd, 2023 in bills, climate change, environmental protection, human rights, news, statutory interpretation by sally

‘Across the world, human rights-based arguments are increasingly deployed in climate litigation against public bodies. However, in the UK, potential reforms to the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) – an Act which allows claimants in domestic courts to rely on the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – could seriously impact the ability of these cases to succeed in the future.’

Full Story

Oxford Human Rights Hub, 22nd May 2023

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

No cab-rank rule breach – yet – for barrister signatories of eco-resolution – Legal Futures

Posted May 18th, 2023 in barristers, climate change, demonstrations, environmental protection, news, professional conduct, prosecutions, public interest by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will not take action against barristers who have committed not to prosecute climate protestors or work for fossil fuel companies – at least until they actually refuse instructions.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 18th May 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Air pollution transparency rules among EU laws to be scrapped by UK – The Guardian

Posted May 17th, 2023 in bills, brexit, EC law, environmental health, environmental protection, government departments, news, pollution by sally

‘Laws to ensure the government is transparent about how they plan to reduce harmful air pollution are among those to be scrapped in the EU retained law bill.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th May 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Real estate company fined for burning peatland in protected area – The Independent

Posted May 12th, 2023 in environmental health, environmental protection, fines, fire, news by tracey

‘A real estate company worth nearly £20 million has admitted burning peat illegally on one of its estates.’

Full Story

The Independent, 11th May 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New police powers to tackle slow-walking protests – BBC News

Posted April 28th, 2023 in bills, climate change, demonstrations, environmental protection, freedom of expression, news, nuisance, police, roads by tracey

‘Police in England and Wales are to be given new powers to tackle “disruptive” slow walking used by protesters to block roads.’

Full Story

BBC News, 28th April 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

River Lugg damage caused by convicted farmer to cost £700k to fix – BBC News

Posted April 24th, 2023 in criminal damage, environmental protection, news, pollution, trees, water by tracey

‘Fixing damage caused by a farmer who illegally ripped up trees from the banks of a river may cost about £700,000, the Environment Agency says.’

Full Story

BBC News, 23rd April 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Farmer jailed for ‘ecological vandalism’ of River Lugg in Herefordshire – BBC News

Posted April 21st, 2023 in environmental protection, imprisonment, news, pollution, sentencing, water by tracey

‘A farmer who hired diggers and bulldozers to illegally rip up trees along the banks of a river has been jailed for 12 months.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th April 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

One jailed and three others fined over Insulate Britain roadblock protest – The Guardian

Posted April 21st, 2023 in climate change, community service, demonstrations, environmental protection, fines, imprisonment, news, nuisance, roads, sentencing by tracey

‘One protester has been jailed for five weeks and three others given fines and community service for their part in a protest to demand government action on insulation.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 20th April 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law Society: Climate change a “valid” reason to reject clients – Legal Futures

Posted April 19th, 2023 in climate change, codes of practice, environmental protection, law firms, Law Society, legal representation, news, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority by sally

‘Climate-related issues may be “valid considerations” for law firms in deciding whether to act for potential clients, the Law Society has said.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th April 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The use of the new statutory public nuisance offence to prosecute political and environmental protest – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted April 14th, 2023 in chambers articles, climate change, demonstrations, environmental protection, news, nuisance by sally

‘On 28 June 2022, section 78 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (‘the PCSCA’) came into force. Following a recommendation by the Law Commission, the new statutory offence of intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance codified and abolished the old offence of common law public nuisance.’

Full Story

Doughty Street Chambers, 15th March 2023

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

OUTLOOK: Building for the Future – Climate Change and Arbitration – 39 Essex Chambers

Posted April 12th, 2023 in arbitration, chambers articles, climate change, environmental protection, news by sally

‘The data from the major arbitral institutions indicates that the users of arbitration are overwhelmingly represented in heavily emitting industries – energy, construction and the financial sectors. Corporates in these industries will be the first to feel changes in regulation as targets become more ambitious – this is where the role of the state becomes significant in investor state arbitrations.’

Full Story

39 Essex Chambers, 28th March 2023

Source: www.39essex.com

Etihad adverts banned over ‘misleading’ environmental claims – The Independent

Posted April 12th, 2023 in advertising, airlines, climate change, environmental protection, news, ombudsmen by sally

‘Adverts for Etihad have been banned for making exaggerated claims about the airline’s efforts to achieve “sustainable aviation”.’

Full Story

The Independent, 12th April 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Seven Just Stop Oil activists convicted over London road blockade – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2023 in demonstrations, environmental protection, London, news, prosecutions, roads by michael

‘Seven climate activists who glued themselves to the road outside the Natural History Museum in south-west London have been convicted of obstructing a highway.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 5th April 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Climate activist who allegedly held sign directed at jurors may be charged – The Guardian

Posted April 5th, 2023 in climate change, contempt of court, criminal justice, demonstrations, environmental protection, juries, news by sally

‘A climate activist who allegedly held a sign outside court telling jurors they were entitled to find protesters not guilty based on their conscience may still face a criminal charge.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th April 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com