Drax power station [credit: drax.com]
Once again climate scaremongers will attempt to overthrow the political decision of a democratically elected government in the courts. An irony in this case is that Drax already burns imported woodchips for power generation, producing vast amounts of carbon dioxide, but this is ignored by alarmists.
Business and Energy Secretary Andrea Leadsom gave the go-ahead for Drax to convert its coal-fired units in North Yorkshire to gas generation last October, reports Energy Live News.
A legal challenge has been launched at the High Court by ClientEarth against the UK Government’s decision to approve what would be the largest new gas power plant in Europe.
Business and Energy Secretary Andrea Leadsom gave the go-ahead for Drax to convert its coal-fired units in North Yorkshire to gas generation last October, on the grounds gas would emit less carbon than coal and some fossil fuel capacity would be needed to provide backup for intermittent renewables.
The approval was granted despite the Planning Inspectorate saying the project should be blocked as it would undermine the UK’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
If Drax were to install 3.6GW of gas capacity at its plant in Selby, ClientEarth – which previously won a legal challenge against the government over air pollution – claims it would be responsible for as much as 75% of the UK’s power sector emissions once fully operational.
Sam Hunter Jones, in-house lawyer for ClientEarth, said: “Only this month, David Attenborough warned governments to take more action to tackle global heating, pointing to the Australian bushfires as proof humanity’s moment of crisis has come.
“With scientists also ringing the alarm bells for decades, we shouldn’t need to take the government to court over its decision to allow what would be Europe’s biggest gas plant.
“The Secretary of State has ignored the recommendations of her own planning authority and her decision is at odds with the government’s own climate change plans to decarbonise in a cost-effective manner.”
Drax previously said the project could enable it to deliver “more reliable and flexible, high efficiency” electricity generation at the power station and contribute towards the UK’s transition to net zero emissions by 2050.
Full report here.
Tallbloke's Talkshop 
Slightly off topic, but hey ho 😎
But you are on topic.
‘what would be the largest new gas power plant in Europe’
Not still in Europe.
Some adjustments in language pending.
Back on topic…this is the French equivalent of the Drax case:
Oil giant Total sued for ‘climate inaction’ in France’s first climate case
EURACTIV.fr 28 Jan 2020
French oil group Total is responsible for 1% of the world’s CO2 emissions and failing to respect its so-called ‘corporate duty of vigilance’, according to a group of plaintiffs representing 14 local authorities and four NGOs who are bringing a case against the giant. EURACTIV France reports.
https://www.euractiv.com/section/climate-environment/news/oil-giant-total-sued-for-climate-inaction-in-frances-first-climate-case/
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All this just as the ‘climate emergency’ nonsense is already starting to unravel.
Gamecock – whoa!
Still in Europe, just not in the EU 🙂
What a great example of the incompatibility of green extremists and civil society.
The answer is when they get in court charge the greens, alarmist and their lawyers with perjury. They have no proof they are not lying. Same with Attenborough. He is a pansy being used by alarmists. He has no idea how climate works. Ask the question “”does temperature lead CO2?” If they answer no they are lying. Another question “is methane an important greenhouse gas?”. If they say yes they are lying see here https://cementafriend.wordpress.com/2011/10/
Reblogged this on Climate- Science.press.