A Scottish court ruled against drilling in Rosebank and Jackdaw, citing climate concerns and unlawful approvals by the previous government.
Edinburgh: A Scottish court has stopped plans to drill in Rosebank and Jackdaw. This decision is a big win for climate activists. The court found that the previous government acted unlawfully when they approved these projects.
The judge pointed out that the climate damage assessment was incomplete. It didn’t consider the effects of burning the oil and gas, just the extraction process. This ruling follows a significant court decision in June that changed how emissions are evaluated.
Even with this setback, the projects might still move forward. The new Labour government must now reassess the climate impact of these projects before making a final decision. They were elected to address climate change, so this is a crucial step.
Oil and gas still supply over two-thirds of the UK’s energy. However, the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects won’t significantly reduce UK imports. Any future decisions will be politically charged, according to energy historian Dr. Ewan Gibbs.
Labour could approve these projects while keeping their promise of “no new licenses” for North Sea drilling. These projects already have licenses but need final government consent.
Philip Evans from Greenpeace UK celebrated the ruling as a historic win. He believes it marks the end of governments ignoring climate impacts when approving drilling sites. The case was strengthened by a Supreme Court ruling that required emissions to be included in assessments.
Since then, other projects, like the West Cumbria coal mine, have also been halted. The new government has stated it will no longer defend such projects in court.
During a recent hearing, developers Shell, Equinor, and Ithaca Energy admitted previous approvals were unlawful. However, they argued that the projects should still proceed since they are far along in development.
Today, Lord Ericht from Scotland’s Court of Session overturned the approvals. He emphasized that public interest in lawful actions outweighs the developers’ interests. The decisions will be quashed and reassessed, considering downstream emissions.
For now, the companies can continue developing their sites but cannot extract oil and gas. Equinor welcomed the ruling, stating it allows them to progress while awaiting new consents. They believe Rosebank is vital for the UK’s economic growth.
Rosebank holds about 300 million barrels of oil, mostly for export. The smaller gas amounts from Jackdaw were meant for UK use but won’t significantly impact household bills.
The government’s energy department plans to issue updated guidance on environmental assessments in spring. Companies can reapply for permissions under these new terms. They aim for a fair transition in the North Sea that aligns with climate obligations.
Shell’s spokesperson stressed the need for swift government action to make decisions about essential UK energy infrastructure.
