ClientEarth: Landmark legal win against the UK Government

In March 2022, ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth, and Good Law Project challenged the UK Government’s net zero strategy in a High Court hearing, asserting it failed to demonstrate sufficient emissions reductions to meet legally binding carbon budgets. They also argued that the strategy lacked transparency in disclosing policy details and their expected effects, hindering proper scrutiny by Parliament and the public.rnrnDuring the court case, it was revealed that the Government’s plans only covered 95% of the necessary reductions to meet the sixth carbon budget, information excluded from the net zero strategy. On 18 July 2022, the High Court ruled in favour of ClientEarth, stating the strategy breached the 2008 Climate Change Act and required strengthening.rnrnHaving decided against an appeal in October 2022, the UK Government now has eight months to update its climate strategy, providing a quantified account of how policies will achieve climate targets, based on a more realistic assessment. The updated strategy must be presented to Parliament for scrutiny by MPs.