In a recent ruling, the UK Supreme Court established that the indirect impacts of fossil fuel extraction—including greenhouse gas emissions from their eventual combustion—must be included in the environmental impact assessment of projects before they are authorized. The decision has the potential to reshape the industry landscape in the country, casting doubt on current and future projects.
With this ruling, the high court resolved the lawsuit brought by activist Sarah Finch, on behalf of the Weald Action Group, challenging the Surrey County Council's authorization to expand an oil well in Horse Hill, Weald, in southeast England. The court ruled that the Council acted unlawfully by failing to consider the project's negative impacts on the climate, both now and in the future.
Finch argued that the environmental impact assessment carried out by the Council did not take into account the climate impacts that would inevitably occur from burning the extracted oil, which would result in more than 10 million tons of carbon emissions.
In a recent ruling, the UK Supreme Court established that the indirect impacts of fossil fuel extraction—including greenhouse gas emissions from their eventual combustion—must be included in the environmental impact assessment of projects before they are authorized. The decision has the potential to reshape the industry landscape in the country, casting doubt on current and future projects.
With this ruling, the high court resolved the lawsuit brought by activist Sarah Finch, on behalf of the Weald Action Group, challenging the Surrey County Council's authorization to expand an oil well in Horse Hill, Weald, in southeast England. The court ruled that the Council acted unlawfully by failing to consider the project's negative impacts on the climate, both now and in the future.
Finch argued that the environmental impact assessment carried out by the Council did not take into account the climate impacts that would inevitably occur from burning the extracted oil, which would result in more than 10 million tons of carbon emissions.