Ed Miliband’s withdrawal of legal backing puts UK oil projects in doubt
Government says it will not challenge reviews of approval given to controversial Jackdaw and Rosebank fields
The future of two of the UK's most controversial oil projects has been thrown into doubt, after the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, withdrew government support for the companies in two legal cases brought by campaigners.
The Jackdaw oilfield, operated by Shell, was given approval in 2022, and Greenpeace applied for a judicial review shortly after the decision. Last year, the previous Conservative government gave the green light to Equinor-operated Rosebank, the UK's biggest untapped oilfield, against the recommendation of climate advisers. Greenpeace and Uplift demanded a judicial review, arguing that the approval was incompatible with the UK's legally binding climate commitments, and saying that ministers' original analysis ignored the devastating impact of burning oil from the site.
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