Uplift and Greenpeace UK have launched legal challenges to the UK Government over its decision to green-light the Rosebank oil and gas project – the largest untapped field of its kind in the North Sea.

Two separate judicial review challenges already filed against the UK’s decision. Both are expected to be heard in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

Greenpeace UK’s co-executive director, Areeba Hamid, said: “Rosebank’s development was approved under the false claim that it is entirely compatible with the UK’s legally binding climate commitments. This is a lie.

“The government used a rigged climate assessment to approve its development, deliberately ignoring all the emissions that will come from burning the 500m barrels of oil it contains. It’s like building a bomb and claiming it’s completely harmless so long as no one detonates it.”

Campaigners say the UK public will carry almost all the cost of developing the field, while Rosebank’s owners are set to receive around £3bn in tax breaks. And they claim the project will not cut household energy bills, as the oil sold on the world market would make no material difference to the price UK consumers pay.

Photo: Petrojarl Knarr FPSO; Source: Equinor

A spokesperson for the government rejected the claims and said it would “robustly defend” the legal challenges.

“The UK is a world leader in reaching net zero – cutting emissions faster than any other major economy – and, as the independent Climate Change Committee recognises, we will still need oil and gas as part of our energy mix.

You can read further information on this story from OffshoreEnergyBiz, The Guardian, Bloomberg and Edie.