Greenpeace launched legal challenges against both the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, collaborating with Uplift on the Rosebank challenge. The UK government had granted development consents after concluding that there would be “no significant effects” on the environment from drilling there. Rosebank is being developed by Equinor and Ithaca Energy, whereas Jackdaw is being developed by Shell.

Greenpeace and Uplift challenged: (1) the decision of the Secretary of State to allow the development of and production from the oil and gas fields, and (2) the Oil and Gas Authority’s decision to consent to the same. The applications were stayed pending the determination of the Supreme Court in Finch. After Finch declared that Environmental Impact Assessments must take into account downstream scope 3 emissions from developments, the UK government signaled its decision not to argue that the grants were lawful. As such, all parties agreed that both decisions were unlawful as the Environmental Impact Assessments had not considered scope 3 emissions. However, the Court of Session considered whether the decisions should be quashed and considered afresh, or whether the projects should be allowed to proceed.

Three grounds of appeal were insisted upon by the petitioners:
1. that the decisions were unlawful as they did not take account of downstream emissions. (This ground was relied on by each petitioner in each of the three petitions)

2. that the Scottish National Marine Plan was not taken into consideration. (This ground was relied upon only by Uplift in the Rosebank petition)

3. that the Oil and Gas Authority failed to give reasons for the decision. (Again, relied upon only by Uplift in the Rosebank petition)

The first ground was accepted in respect of both projects. The second and third grounds were rejected.

In January 2025, a decision by the Court of Session quashed the decisions of the Secretary of State and OGA. However, the Court of Session ruled that the reduction would be suspended until the fresh decision is reached. No oil or gas can be extracted from the sites during the suspension period.

In September 2025, Shell submitted a fresh environmental impact assessment for the Jackdaw gas field.

Greenpeace v. North Sea Transition Authority

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Greenpeace v. North Sea Transition Authority - opinion

Filed

United Kingdom

Scotland

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

People who are less able to respond to the effects of climate change due to having limited financial or physical assets

Direct investments by the governments using public funds. This can be to support climate initiatives or integrate climate into other projects.

Financial support to help individuals manage the effects of unexpected events, securing their livelihoods and increasing the resilience of people and businesses to the changing climate. It’s especially vital in developing regions where everyday risks, climate-related weather extremes, or crop failures can push people into poverty. Without insurance, people may have to resort to selling assets or cutting consumption to cope with losses.

A company that is owned wholly or partially by the state, typically operating in key sectors.

Either money or something of monetary value is transferred between two or more organisations, people or countries.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

Social inclusion is the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups take part in society—improving the ability, opportunity, and dignity of those disadvantaged on the basis of their identity.

Oil is a combustible liquid fossil fuel composed mainly of hydrocarbons, occurring as crude oil and refined into petroleum products such as petrol, diesel and kerosene.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock formed from carbonised plant matter, rich in carbon and hydrocarbons, and occurring in several main types including hard coal and brown coal.

People who have left their homes, whether through force, voluntarily, or a mixture of both

Any compulsory, unrequited payment to the government levied on corporations or individuals. This can be for environmental reasons, such as introducing a Carbon tax to set a price that emitters must pay for the greenhouse gases they emit.

Activities of industries that extract natural resources, such as mining, oil, and gas, for commercial use.

The activities of industries that transforms raw materials into finished goods through industrial processes.

Activities that involve planning, designing and building infrastructure, residential, and commercial structures.

This sector involves the wholesale and retail selling of goods.

This sector involves activities to move goods and people, alongside the storage of products.

This sector involves activities that impart knowledge and skills to individuals, including formal schooling, vocational training and educational support.

Activities of government agencies and institutions that provide public services, enforce laws and manage public resources.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

Slow onset events evolve gradually from incremental changes over many years or from increased frequency or intensity of recurring events. As defined in the Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010), slow onset events include risks and impacts from rising temperatures, desertification, biodiversity loss, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and salinization.

Greenpeace v. North Sea Transition Authority - opinion

Policy instrument

Risk

Impacted group

Just transition

Fossil fuel

Greenhouse gas

Economic sector

Finance