Oceana sues UK government over North Sea oil licences in MPAs

Oceana UK has filed a lawsuit against the UK government, alleging that the issuance of 82 North Sea oil and gas licences between October 2023 and May 2024 was unlawful. The conservation group claims that Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State for Energy Security, and the North Sea Transition Authority ignored advice from independent experts about the environmental impact on marine protected areas (MPAs). Oceana argues that one-third of the licensed areas overlap with MPAs, posing significant risks to marine life. The legal action follows a similar unsuccessful challenge by Greenpeace last year. (The Guardian)