In a landmark decision, the UK Supreme Court ruled that Surrey County Council should have accounted for the climate impacts of burning oil extracted from new wells at Horse Hill, near Horley, Surrey. The ruling came in response to an appeal by Sarah Finch, representing the Weald Action Group, against the council's 2019 expansion approval for the site. Finch argued that downstream emissions—greenhouse gases from burning the extracted oil—should have been included in the Environmental Impact Assessment. The court's majority (3-2) agreed, overturning previous High Court and Court of Appeal decisions.
Lord Leggatt stated that emissions from burning the oil are "effects of the project" and criticized the council for inadequately assessing these impacts. This decision could affect future fossil fuel projects in the UK and potentially influence environmental assessment practices in other regions. Horse Hill Developments, the site's operator, had planned to extract approximately 3.3 million tonnes of crude oil over 20 years, expected to emit over 10 million tonnes of CO2 when burned, according to Friends of the Earth.
The Supreme Court's ruling emphasizes the need for a thorough and transparent assessment of both direct and indirect environmental impacts for informed public debate.