Our new arrival: the Procurement Act is born

Almost 18 months after it was laid before Parliament in May last year, the Procurement Bill finally received Royal Assent on 26 October and thereby became the Procurement Act 2023 (“the Act“).  The Act is expected to enter into force in October 2024 and will replace the existing regulations governing the award of contracts and … Read more

High Court considers climate change considerations in judicial review proceedings

In Jennifer Dawes v Secretary of State for the Transport Department [2023] EWHC 2352 (Admin) the High Court dismissed a challenge brought by a local campaigner on the grounds of, among others, climate change in relation to the grant of development consent for the redevelopment and reopening of Manston Airport. Key Points Public law decision … Read more

High Court rejects climate change based challenge to oil and gas licensing

The High Court has rejected the highly publicised judicial reviews by Greenpeace and Uplift to the Government’s 33rd licensing round for offshore oil and gas exploration and production, emphasising that its compatibility with net zero is a matter of judgment for the Government rather than a matter for the courts: R. (on the application of … Read more

The winds of change – What next for public law climate disputes in the UK?

Climate change-related disputes continue to grow in terms of the different types of claims and the different common law and civil law jurisdictions around the world where such litigation has been brought. In this first piece of our climate change disputes series, we start by giving the public law perspective in the UK, as this … Read more

Climate disputes – A 360-degree perspective

Climate change is at the forefront of global news and politics, but it is not just an issue for politicians, policy makers and those working in the energy or environmental fields. Climate change is one of the most significant challenges for business that has ever existed. It is one of the few issues that can … Read more