UK sector faces legal minefield

摘要

THE UK government and North Sea oil and gas industry look set for a difficult period of being dragged through the courts by environmental groups and campaigners. Greenpeace late last week threatened to take the UK government to court over plans to approve Siccar Point Energy's and Shell's proposed Cambo development in the West of Shetland area. Greenpeace argues that Cambo is "obviously inconsistent" with the government's stated ambition, on the eve of the COP 26 summit in Glasgow, to be a world-leader in emissions reduction. The group argues that the government has failed to require, at any stage of the approval process, assessment of the environmental effects of the consumption of the oil to be extracted - known as Scope 3 emissions - under the permit.