Today’s decision by the Scottish Court of Session follows years of legal battles by the Weald Action Group, which culminated last year in a Supreme Court decision that Surrey Council was wrong to give planning approval to the Horse Hill site. In its Environmental Impact Assessment, the council failed to consider what are known as ‘Scope 3’ emissions – these are the emissions created by the end-use, the burning of the oil and gas.
The Supreme Court decision set a landmark legal precedent which led to the closing of the Whitehaven Coal mine project and three other onshore oil sites, as well as today’s huge win over Rosebank.
Now, the Norwegian energy giant Equinor, and its partner Ithaka will have to resubmit their plan in the next round of government consultation, and the new ruling will present a tough obstacle to any further exploration.
