Remarkably they all agree on one basic fact — the Rosebank oil field in the Atlantic and the Jackdaw gas development in the North Sea were approved unlawfully. However, the lawyers disagree sharply about what, if anything, should be done about it.

Two environmental groups are set to have their legal challenge against the Rosebank and Jackdaw offshore oil and gas fields in the North Sea heard in court on Tuesday. Greenpeace UK and Uplift will argue the impact of emissions from burning the oil and gas extracted from the fields were illegally ignored when they were approved in the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

The campaigners want to stop the development of Rosebank oil field, which is off Shetland, and the Jackdaw gas field, off Aberdeen. But oil companies say the projects are vital. If the challenge is successful, operators would have to resubmit environmental ...

Earlier this year, the U.K.'s Labour government acknowledged the previous Conservative government's approval of the Rosebank project without considering whether its full climate impact was unlawful. If the plaintiffs are successful, the landmark case could help establish a precedent for all new oil and gas development.

Two environmental groups kicked off a legal challenge in Scotland on Tuesday to block the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields in the North Sea, with activists optimistic of success.Regulatory approval for drilling at the Rosebank oil field,

Greenpeace and Uplift have jointly raised a judicial review arguing consent for the Rosebank oil field north-west of Shetland and the Jackdaw oil field off Aberdeen ought to be paused and reassessed.

Operators Shell and Equinor have argued Jackdaw and Rosebank should continue given the enormous sums already invested.

The consent for drilling at Rosebank was granted in September 2023, while Shell's Jackdaw field received approval in 2022.