The not-for-profit organization is seeking to defend the Frontier from oil exploration in order to protect the biodiversity of the area and to protect the climate from further expansion of fossil fuel reserves.
In the court papers, received this Wednesday, High Court Judge Justice Jowitt granted Greenpeace a full High Court hearing to judicially review future oil licensing on the basis of the Government's failure to implement the European Habitats Directive in the Atlantic Frontier. The Judge stated that there are substantive issues in Greenpeace's case that need to be addressed in court and has given the Government 42 days to respond to the evidence.
Peter Melchett, Executive Director of Greenpeace UK said: "For years the Government has tried to stop us, but this case will now be put before the courts and the public. The Government is meant to act as custodian of our natural resources but instead they give their industry mates carte blanche to destroy Britain's greatest wilderness.
"We intend to expose the contradiction at the heart of Government policy. Their environmental policy says we should cut down the use of fossil fuels to protect the climate and wildlife, while their energy policy tells the fossil fuel industry to go and dig as much oil as they can regardless of the consequences," he said.
Greenpeace argues that future oil licensing is illegal until the Government protects the whales, dolphins and other wildlife of the Frontier under the European Habitats Directive. The Atlantic Frontier to the North West of Britain is a vital habitat for many species of large whale on the brink of extinction, such as the blue and fin whales, which Greenpeace argues are likely to be harmed by further oil industry activity.
News of this judicial review will undoubtedly cause concern in the oil industry over the future of oil licensing.
"The outcome of this case will have a bearing on every decision the Department of Trade and Industry makes regarding oil licensing on the Atlantic Frontier. This should cool John Battle's ardour for licensing on the Atlantic Frontier," said Melchett.
A date has not yet been set for the hearing but it is likely to be either at the end of July or in September. The hearing is expected to last around five days.
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