Environmental
Thirty Nine Essex Street is highly regarded for its environmental work. Members of Chambers have a deep knowledge of the subject, and how it operates in the commercial context. There has been a significant increase in the scope and complexity of regulations covering all aspects of the environment and members of Chambers regularly advise on corporate environmental governance and due diligence issues. Members of Chambers are involved in Motto v Trafigura, a 30,000 claimant class action seeking damages against a commodities trader for alleged environmental contamination in the Ivory Coast.
Numerous members of Chambers have acted on projects for renewable energy, in particular wind energy, on some of the biggest and most controversial onshore and offshore schemes in the UK.
Recent significant cases include:
- United Utilities PLC: acting for UU on test case appeals involving long inquiries into the reduction of storm water sewage discharges to inland and coastal waters.
- R (Maile and Hardy) v Pembrokeshire County Council [2006] EWCA Civ 240 (Court of Appeal): acting for the developer of the LNG terminal at Milford Haven in a JR challenging the consents for the project.
- R (Cemex UK Cement) v. DEFRA (Admin Court and EC CFI): acting for Cemex in litigation concerning allocation of allowances under the EU Emissions Trading scheme.
- Under the same legislation, acting for clients involved in the first appeal against administrative penalties (the Alphasteel case)
- Motto & Ors v Trafigura.