Wildlife movements want to force the British government to do more to meet climate goals. Organizations Friends of the Earth and ClientEarth have both announced they will file a lawsuit this week.
According to them, Downing Street’s goals are not sufficient to comply with international agreements.
London presented plans for the climate conference in Glasgow in October to reduce CO2 emissions to zero. The Climate Change Committee supervisor welcomed the plans but also made the necessary comments, for example, about financing. For example, the costs of the switch to clean energy will amount to 1 to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050. At the same time, government revenues are declining because less is earned from taxes on fossil fuels.
Friends of the Earth and ClientEarth, a law firm that focuses on environmental issues, believe the zero-emissions targets are “theoretical” and do not comply with UK law. “The government has mapped out an imaginary route to reduce CO2 emissions but has not created a credible plan to achieve that goal,” said lawyer Katie de Kauwe of Friends of the Earth.
Both organizations will have a different approach to their lawsuits. ClientEarth argues that the UK government is violating human rights by failing to meet emissions requirements. Friends of the Earth focuses specifically on UK government regulations for reducing emissions from homes and buildings. According to the organization, these are not in line with the laws that prescribe equal treatment.