Legal battles to protect the environment 'easier to fight in China than the UK'

Head of leading green law firm warns that punitive costs will deter British citizens from bringing cases against the government and polluters

It is now harder for UK citizens to hold government and polluters accountable for damaging the environment than it is for people in China, the head of a leading environmental law firm has told the Guardian.

Changes to the costs and administration of environmental legal challenges in the UK could potentially "chill the ability of citizens to bring cases" to protect the environment, said James Thornton, chief executive of NGO ClientEarth, ahead of delivering the annual Garner lecture to a host of environmental leaders on Wednesday.