A legal challenge has been brought to the Edinburgh Court of Sessions regarding a “substantive error of law” made in the consent for new oil and gas fields in Scottish waters. The environmental groups, Greenpeace and Uplift, have raised concerns over the approval of the Rosebank oil field and the Jackdaw oil field, arguing that the UK government neglected to assess the full impact of emissions from these developments. The authorisation for these projects was granted by the former Conservative-led UK government, with Shell’s plans for the Jackdaw field approved in 2022, and Equinor and Ithaca Energy’s proposals for the Rosebank field cleared in September.
During the first day of the court hearing, Greenpeace UK’s Ruth Crawford KC highlighted that the consent for these projects was based on limited information about their environmental impact, calling it a “substantive error of law.” Greenpeace and Uplift are seeking to halt the developments and have the oil companies submit revised environmental impact assessments that consider the Scope 3 emissions generated by burning the extracted oil and gas.
Shell has defended the Jackdaw project as crucial for UK energy security, providing heating fuel for 1.4 million homes, while Equinor has emphasised the importance of Rosebank for local investment, job creation, and energy security. The case, presided over by Lord Ericht, is ongoing as the environmental groups and oil companies present their arguments.
In the midst of ongoing debates surrounding environmental impact assessments and oil and gas developments, it is clear that the issue of sustainability and climate change continues to be a significant concern for both environmental groups and energy companies. As the court deliberates on the legality and validity of the consent for these new oil fields, the outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for the future of energy projects in Scottish waters.