Earlier today, the UK government admitted that the last government’s decision to approve the Rosebank oil field was unlawful. This is a massive win for everyone fighting to stop Rosebank and for a liveable future.
The new UK government announced that it agreed that the decision to approve Rosebank was unlawful. They realised that approving the Rosebank oil field without taking into account the full extent of its climate impacts was unlawful.
By conceding, the new government has made the right decision not to waste time and money trying to defend the indefensible. It’s not yet clear if Equinor or the NSTA, the regulator that signed off Rosebank’s approval, will defend the case or not. If they do, the legal challenge will still move through the Scottish courts.
But the government’s concession makes it even more likely that the decision to approve the field will be declared unlawful and need to be remade. The government will then have the chance to make the right decision and stop this field for good.
Not only would Rosebank bust UK climate targets, it is also a rip off: oil for export that would do nothing to lower bills or boost UK energy security. Yet, unbelievably, UK taxpayers would effectively have to cover almost all of the costs of developing it!
The legal challenge against Rosebank is now a straight fight between a liveable future and oil and gas industry profits - and we’re more confident than ever that we’ll win.
Want to support the court case? If you haven’t done so already, join over 17,000 people by adding your name to the case. Your voice can help us urge the government to make the right choice and reject Rosebank for good if or when they have the opportunity to reconsider this decision. We can send a powerful message to the oil and gas industry that their days of unchecked exploitation are numbered.
Add your name to the court case
This is a big step in the right direction. Now, the UK government must stop Rosebank once and for all. It must also provide a plan for a fair and properly funded transition for oil and gas workers and the communities that depend on them.
We’ll be in touch as we further understand what the government’s announcement means for the future of the Rosebank oil field and how the companies behind the project, Equinor and Ithaca Energy, will react.
In the meantime, one thing is certain. Today, we are closer than ever to stopping this climate wrecking oil field for good. A moment to celebrate our collective efforts that has made this possible 👏
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