“Landmark Legal Challenge: British Government Faces Court Over Climate Change Failures”

The British government is facing a groundbreaking legal challenge for allegedly failing to adequately protect people, property, and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change. Environmental campaigners Friends of the Earth, along with two individuals whose lives have been directly impacted by rising temperatures, have brought a case to the High Court in London.

This case marks the first of its kind in Britain and follows criticism of the government’s climate change risk management strategy, as well as a recent European court ruling against Switzerland for not doing enough to address climate change.

The plaintiffs argue that the government’s National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), which aims to protect against extreme weather events such as flooding and coastal erosion, is inadequate and unlawful. They claim that the government failed to comply with the 2008 Climate Change Act, which mandates reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to climate risks.

The independent Climate Change Committee has also called for the NAP3 to be strengthened, stating that it “falls far short of what is required.” One of the co-claimants, Kevin Jordan, had his seaside home demolished due to coastal erosion without receiving compensation, while the other, disability activist Doug Palley, faces health risks from hotter summers.

The case comes in the wake of a landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights against Switzerland, which was found to be failing in its climate protection efforts. This ruling has implications for other governments to adopt more ambitious climate policies.

In the UK, the Conservative government has faced criticism for rolling back on climate commitments, including delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel cars until 2035 and granting new licenses for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. The Climate Change Committee has urged the new Labour government to act swiftly to meet its 2030 climate goals, as current plans only cover a third of the necessary emissions reductions.

Since taking office, Labour has reversed a ban on onshore wind power projects and criticized the approval of a new coal mine as an “error of law.” The outcome of this legal challenge could have far-reaching implications for climate policy in the UK and beyond.