Climate

Northern Ireland's agriculture, environment and rural affairs minister was welcomed to Law Society House this week for a high-level seminar on climate policy and legal engagement. The first-of-its-kind event was hosted by the Law Society of Northern Ireland's climate justice group and featured a mod

Northern Ireland's Department for Infrastructure has served a notice of appeal against a High Court ruling quashing a decision to proceed with the first phase of the A5 dual carriageway project. Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden ruled at the end of June that the Department for Infrastructure had failed to

Northern Ireland's infrastructure minister has confirmed plans to appeal a High Court ruling quashing a decision to proceed with the first phase of the A5 dual carriageway project. Mr Justice Gerry McAlinden ruled at the end of June that the Department for Infrastructure had failed to show the decis

Eoin Jackson analyses the ICJ's landmark climate change opinion. On Wednesday this week, the International court of Justice (ICJ) released its landmark Advisory Opinion on states' obligations in respect of climate change. An Advisory Opinion is a non-binding opinion provided by the ICJ which clarifi

The International Court of Justice has delivered a landmark advisory opinion on the obligations of states in the face of the climate emergency.  The decision delivers historic protections that strengthen the responsibilities of states under international law beyond the Paris Agreement, with sev

William Fry has successfully acted for Tesco Ireland in its defence of a judicial review challenge to the grant of planning permission for a new Tesco store, drive-thru café and petrol station in Co Cavan. The case, which sought to overturn the planning permission and challenge the valid

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

Businesses will have to file much less paperwork when the EU's landmark deforestation law comes into force than originally envisaged.

Ireland's climate action plan for 2025 has been published by the government amid warnings from campaigners that it does not go far enough to ensure Ireland meets legally binding climate limits. The "streamlined" plan, intended to be read in conjunction with the 2024 plan, is the third statutory upda

Philip Lee has formed a partnership with New York firm Skylight Law LLP, which will now operate as Philip Lee (US) LLP.

Dr Pearce Clancy ponders whether victims of Storm Éowyn could successfully bring climate litigation to the European courts. Storm Éowyn was one of the most destructive storms Ireland has ever seen, with winds of 183 km/h recorded by the Mace Head weather station in Connemara. The devas

Arthur Cox and Wind Energy Ireland have opened applications for the 2025 Niamh Burke Renewable Energy Bursary, with €10,000 on offer to students pursuing studies related to renewable energy. Awarded every year since 2020, the bursary was established in memory of former Arthur Cox partner and co

Philip Lee lawyers Alison Hardiman, Alice Whittaker, Niall Donnelly, Rachel Minch and Leonora Mullett share their views on Coolglass v An Bord Pleanála. Alison Hardiman on our planning and environment team spoke on the ‘Planning and Development Act, 2024 and Offshore Renewable Energy&rs

Nearly one in five climate and environmental protests in the UK involve arrests, far above the international average, according to a new report. Researchers at the University of Bristol say 17.2 per cent of UK protests end in arrests compared to an international average of 6.3 per cent.

Global law firm Kennedys has set out a science-backed plan to achieve net zero by 2040. The firm — which has 48 offices, including in Dublin and Belfast — is committed to reducing its global Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90 per cent from the 2040 fiscal year, using t