The Supreme Court ruled that a county council must assess downstream emissions when reviewing fossil fuel project planning applications, overturning the council’s previous belief that it had complied with planning law. This landmark decision, known as the “Finch ruling,” establishes a legal precedent requiring developers and planning authorities to consider the environmental impact of emissions resulting from fossil fuel projects before granting approval.

Legal representatives and environmental groups hailed the ruling as a major breakthrough in climate action. Solicitor Rowan Smith, who represented Finch, emphasized its potential to halt numerous fossil fuel developments, while Friends of the Earth’s senior lawyer Katie de Kauwe called it one of the most significant legal advances in the fight against the climate crisis this century.