Environmental Law

Northern Ireland’s High Court has quashed a decision by the Department of Infrastructure to proceed with the first phase of the A5 dual carriageway project. Delivering judgment for the High Court, Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden stated that he was aware that his decision would bring “fresh an

An independent panel tasked with reviewing environmental governance in Northern Ireland has published its interim report. The panel was appointed by agriculture, environment and rural affairs minister Andrew Muir in November 2024 and is considering a number of options for strengthening environmental

Two men have been imprisoned following the first custodial sentences imposed for environmental crimes in Northern Ireland history. Company directors Paul Doherty, 67, and Gerry Farmer, 56, were sentenced to a total of 33 months' imprisonment for their role in the illegal dumping of waste at the Mobu

The Council of Europe has formally adopted a new Convention on the Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law. The new Convention is the first international legally-binding instrument to address environmental crime, covering a broad range of criminal acts that aggravate the triple planetary

An environmental group has lodged a judicial review against the granting of planning permission for a 600 MW power plant and battery storage system in Co Kerry.

Trainee solicitors from the Law Society of Ireland and the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS) have represented Ireland and the UK in the Florida finals of the prestigious Stetson International Environmental Moot Court Competition. Organised by the Institute for Biodiversity Law and Polic

A new suite of template agreements have been developed and issued to encourage landowner and investor participation in woodland and peatland carbon projects across the UK, including Northern Ireland. The templates are the outcome of an 18-month collaborative project led by Scottish Forestry in partn

Greenpeace has been ordered to pay $660 million in damages to an oil and gas company following US legal proceedings that the environmental group has described as a "meritless SLAPP". Texas-based company Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace of defamation and orchestrating criminal behaviour in relation

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has answered questions posed by the Irish High Court as the interpretation of Article 4(4)–(6) of Directive 2011/92 and the obligations arising where information received from third parties during the planning process raises doubt as to the potential environ

Lawyers have criticised an alleged lack of transparency in the public local inquiry into Northern Ireland's proposed Dalradian gold mine. The inquiry was due to run from January to March 2025 but was suspended after sitting for just three days due to procedural failings by the Department for Infrast

The EU has launched a consultation on revision to state aid rules in order to bring them in line with the requirements of the Aarhus Convention. The European Commission has prepared draft amendments to the state aid Implementing Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 and to the state aid Best Practices Code (B

A new users' group for the Planning and Environment Court has been established on a pilot basis. The Planning and Environment Court was established last year as a specialised division within the High Court in a bid to speed up complex judicial reviews.

New EU rules on deforestation have been postponed for a year under pressure from businesses and farmers. The landmark EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to ensure that certain goods on the EU market do not contribute to deforestation and forest degradation in the EU and elsewhere in the world.

Wolves are set to have their protected status in the EU downgraded with effect from next March. A proposal to downgrade the status of wolves from "strictly protected" to "protected" has been approved by the standing committee of the Bern Convention, which governs the conservation of European wildlif

Three independent experts have been appointed to conduct a review of environmental governance in Northern Ireland, including considering options for an independent environment protection agency.