The UK government has lost another court case over its failure to adequately meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Environmental activists criticized the energy minister for approving a climate strategy without sufficient proof of its feasibility.
The High Court has now ordered the government to revise the plan once more. Despite this, the government continues to defend its climate initiatives.
A spokesperson from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero stated, “The UK has a strong history of climate action. We don’t think litigation over procedures is the most effective method to advance our common objective of achieving net zero.”
The lawsuit was initiated by Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth, and The Good Law Project.
Tony Bosworth from Friends of the Earth described the ruling as “an embarrassing day for the government,” and expressed the need for a more thorough and equitable climate plan outside the courthouse to BBC News.
This follows a 2022 victory by the same groups who argued that the government’s Net Zero Plan lacked sufficient detail on how emission cuts would be achieved as mandated by the Climate Change Act.
Although the government subsequently provided a more detailed plan, the campaigners contended that former Energy Secretary Grant Shapps approved it without fully considering the feasibility of the policies.
Justice Sheldon commented in his judgment that it was unclear from the documents which of the proposed policies would be fully implemented.
The judge is expected to set a deadline for the plan’s review later on Friday. When asked about the judgment, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated he hadn’t reviewed the details but remained “proud of our climate record.”
