A High Court judge ruled on 3 May that the UK government had acted unlawfully in approving a plan to meet its climate targets without evidence that it could be delivered. It was the second time in two years that the British government's flagship climate action plan had been found unlawful and inadequate to meet its legally binding targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Judge Clive Sheldon sided with the three environmental groups that brought the case, ruling that the government's decision last year to approve its carbon budget delivery plan was not backed by evidence.

The plan set out how the UK intends to meet its climate targets, including a commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by roughly two thirds compared with 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050.

The judge said the information given in the draft plan was vague and unquantified and did not give officials enough information as to whether the plan should be approved.

Lawyers for the environmental organisations told the court that the government had not given Parliament and other bodies risk assessments, or information on whether its policies were likely to be delivered, meaning the plan could not be properly scrutinised.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-climate-change-plan-high-court-ruling-a8c7f11ad26f7bf033fd5accf0417fe9