Fresh legal action launched against UK government over its climate strategy

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The UK government is once again facing legal action regarding its revised climate strategy, following last year’s landmark ruling from the High Court that deemed the previous approach to tackling greenhouse gas emissions unlawful.

Campaign groups, including Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth, and Good Law Project, have recently filed three separate claims at the High Court against the Sunak government’s “Green Day” plan.

The revised government plan, published in March, outlines the strategy for achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions to fulfill the UK’s legally binding commitments to combat global warming.

However, the government admitted that the revised plan falls short in its calculations, predicting only a 92% reduction in emissions compared to the 2030 goal of a 68% reduction from 1990 levels.

“The government’s new plan to reduce emissions is inadequate,” stated ClientEarth CEO Laura Clarke.

This legal challenge comes at a time when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is being heavily criticized for his handling of climate change. The independent Climate Change Committee recently reported that the UK has lost its global leadership position, and former environment minister Zac Goldsmith accused Sunak of being uninterested in climate change before resigning.

A government spokesperson vowed to vigorously defend against the claims, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

The revised net zero strategy was initially published as a result of successful legal challenges by the three campaign organizations in July 2022.

However, the organizations argue that the latest version of the plan is also in violation of the Climate Act, as it lacks sufficient information on the government’s assessment of policy risks and meeting legally binding climate targets.

They also express concerns about relying on unproven technologies, such as carbon capture and storage.

The organizations have requested a judicial review from the High Court, challenging the lawfulness of the government’s decisions regarding the climate strategy.

The High Court has the authority to deny permission for a full hearing of the claim. However, ClientEarth’s CEO, Laura Clarke, believes they have a strong case highlighting serious deficiencies in the government’s plans.

Katie de Kauwe, a lawyer from Friends of the Earth, emphasized the urgency of taking action to reduce emissions in the face of the climate crisis.

Last month, the UK experienced its hottest June on record, and the government’s independent climate advisory body expressed diminished confidence in meeting climate targets due to weak leadership.