Blog Post
Climate Campaigners Launch Legal Case against UK Energy Policies
Richard Simmonds • May 21, 2020
Climate change campaigners have started legal proceedings against the government to review its policies regarding fossil fuel projects.
‘Out of date energy policies’
The key focus of the campaigner’s legal challenge is that they believe the current energy policies in place are outdated as they are being used to approve fossil fuel projects. They argue that the policies undermine the government’s pledge to tackle carbon emissions and to hit environmental targets agreed in the Paris agreement.
It could be argued that the government has left itself exposed to such legal challenges after it vowed to tackle climate change.
The campaigners claim that officials have refused to overhaul the rules that can be used to support the fracking industry, support the opening of new fossil fuel power stations, and support open cast mining.
The policies in question were first introduced by the government a decade ago when the UK's energy security was in doubt and there were genuine fears of blackouts. The campaign groups claim that they are no longer fit for purpose and accuse the government of using the policies to justify new fossil fuel energy projects.
“We are teetering on the brink of a climate catastrophe. Yet the government is refusing to even commit to a review of an outdated energy policy that permits fossil fuel projects to be forced through. Our legal challenge seeks to change that,” said Jolyon Maugham, director at the Good Law Project.
Lockdown having little impact on climate change
Separately, a new report released by scientists at the University of East Anglia shows that the pandemic lockdown saw a dramatic reduction in carbon emissions, but that fall will have little effect on climate change.
The research showed that at the peak of the global lockdown in early April carbon emissions were 17 million tonnes a day lower than the average recorded in 2019, a decline of 17%. A figure not seen since 2006.
The main cause for the decline was the reduction in vehicle use. Surface transport emissions declined by 43%, the same amount as the drop from industry and power generation combined. However, with the lockdown easing, vehicle usage will likely rebound strongly.
"A big worry is that people will naturally want to go back to their cars to go to work, and that could rebound the emissions to the same level or even higher than before, once everybody goes back," said Prof Corinne Le Quéré from the University of East Anglia, who led the analysis.
Opportunity for a Green Economy?
Many sectors of industry are calling for a faster pace of change to a greener economy with some seeing the current situation as an ideal time to implement it.
The drive for green energy is also an opportunity for energy suppliers. Those that can provide genuinely green tariffs will be able to attract new consumers who are passionate about the issue.
However, with the economic pain to come because of the lockdown, businesses might have to concentrate their efforts on survival than on how to be greener.
Further Reading
29% decrease in switching during April despite Coronavirus lockdown
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