Court throws out claim UK Government ‘unlawful’ in supporting North Sea oil

A High Court has thrown out a legal challenge claiming that the UK Government had acted unlawfully in its support for North Sea oil and gas.

Environmental group Paid to Pollute argued that the Oil and Gas Authority’s (OGA) updated strategy was illegal because it supported activity which is “not economic” and in conflict with net-zero goals.

However, Mrs Justice Cockerill dismissed the case on both grounds in a ruling published on Tuesday.

The OGA welcomed the judgement as “clear, resounding and comprehensive support” of its strategy, adding that it remains “firmly focussed on regulating and influencing the oil, gas and carbon storage industries to both secure energy supply and support the transition to net zero.”

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