Chris Packham reaches agreement with government over environmental policy changes

Environmentalist Chris Packham has concluded a settlement with the government concerning two legal actions he initiated regarding the administration’s choice to either withdraw or postpone certain environmental policies. The television personality initiated legal proceedings against the former Conservative government in late 2023, contending that its postponement of specific policies designed to assist the UK in achieving net zero emissions by 2050 constituted unlawful conduct. According to the law firm Leigh Day, Mr. Packham finalized “a legal settlement” with the current Labour government, which acknowledged that the previous Tory administration “had acted unlawfully” by either eliminating or weakening climate policies. The government stated its decision to settle both cases, indicating that it intends to re-evaluate the contested decisions as part of its ongoing process to update its carbon budget delivery plan (CBDP). The CBDP is designed to detail the UK’s strategy for meeting the targets established in the sixth carbon budget, which extends through 2037, as part of broader initiatives to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In 2023, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declared that multiple programs within the CBDP would be discontinued or scaled back, which subsequently led to Mr. Packham’s legal challenge. These altered measures encompassed postponing the prohibition on the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles from 2030 to 2035, decreasing the phase-out target for gas boilers from 100% to 80% by 2035, and eliminating the mandate for energy efficiency improvements in residential properties. Mr. Sunak commented at the time that the UK’s strategy for achieving its net zero objective was imposing “unacceptable costs on hard-pressed British families” during a cost of living crisis intensified by elevated energy prices. In May, a High Court judge determined that the government had acted unlawfully in its approval of the reduced CBDP, concluding that the decision was “simply not justified by the evidence”. In a released statement, Packham characterized the former government’s decisions as “reckless and irresponsible short-termism” and expressed that he was “very pleased” that the current government had “pledged to do better”. His legal representatives indicated that the nature presenter and environmental advocate is also scheduled to meet with Energy and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband “to discuss future progress addressing climate breakdown”. Leigh Day confirmed that a High Court hearing previously scheduled for November will no longer proceed. A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) stated: “We have carefully considered the two legal cases launched by Chris Packham against the government in November 2023 and May 2024.” The spokesperson added: “We have now settled both cases, on the basis we reconsider the challenged decisions as part of our work to update our carbon budget delivery plan.”