Net-zero lawsuits
The latest Tory fury at the ECHR can be traced back to the government’s decision to roll back some net zero emission pledges, amid concerns the new ruling could open up the government to more litigation from activists.
Sunak sparked criticism from green groups and some of his own MPs when he loosened several key environmental policies in the fall of 2023, effectively ending Britain’s relative political consensus about the push toward net zero. The move followed pressure from the Conservatives’ right flank which argued such policies were unaffordable during a cost of living crisis.
The shift of emphasis could now, thanks to the ECHR ruling, open up the government to more lawsuits from individuals or campaign groups concerned the U.K. is failing to meet its climate targets. Even before the ruling, several green groups had already defeated the government in court over its targets.
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“We and others will be integrating this precedent … as we continue to digest the detail of the court’s findings,” said Sam Hunter-Jones, a senior lawyer from the green charity ClientEarth, which currently has a case against the government and has already taken it to court and won before. Translation: expect more litigation.
Jennine Walker, a legal manager at the Good Law Project campaign group, added that the U.K. government “could, in theory, face further legal action.”
Political figures to the right of the Conservatives sense an opportunity to link their campaign to leave the ECHR to efforts to scrap Britain’s net zero push.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
