Fossil free future No more oil, gas or coal

We're in a climate crisis, and we need to reduce our carbon emissions. It's clear that new fossil fuel developments, including extracting new oil, coal and gas that'll add more emissions to the atmosphere, aren't compatible with tackling climate change. And keeping us reliant on oil and gas won't boost energy security or our reduce bills.

We're fighting planned new coal, oil and gas developments across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We're standing alongside local communities, and together we're taking cases to court to challenge the approval of these new fossil fuel projects.

Communities fighting back

The climate crisis is a global issue, but drilling and mining for fossil fuels is happening within local communities - and that's where the fightback starts.

Meet the community groups saying no to dirty fossil fuels on their doorstep. We're standing with these groups, taking local campaigns to the highest courts. We've seen communities celebrate the shutdown of fossil fuel sites, and now we're waiting for the courts to decide if the full climate impact should be considered when these developments are decided.
 

Defeating fossil fuel projects

Group of people holding placards protest against proposed new coal mine in Whitehaven
Success! Cumbria coalmine
The UK’s first new coal mine in over 30 years was approved in December 2022. Alongside local campaigners South Lakes Action on Climate Change, we launched a legal challenge against the decision. Following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment on Horse Hill, the new government dropped its defence of the mine, so the case went ahead against West Cumbria Mining only. And in September 2024 the High Court quashed the planning permission for the mine due, amongst other factors, to the failure to consider the emissions caused by burning the coal. Unless the mining company withdraws its planning application, the government must now reconsider the full climate impacts of the mine.
Success! Cumbria coalmine
The UK’s first new coal mine in over 30 years was approved in December 2022. Alongside local campaigners South Lakes Action on Climate Change, we launched a legal challenge against the decision. Following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment on Horse Hill, the new government dropped its defence of the mine, so the case went ahead against West Cumbria Mining only. And in September 2024 the High Court quashed the planning permission for the mine due, amongst other factors, to the failure to consider the emissions caused by burning the coal. Unless the mining company withdraws its planning application, the government must now reconsider the full climate impacts of the mine.
An oil derrick
Success! Horse Hill oil, Surrey
We went to the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court, to support community campaigners the Weald Action Group in their challenge to Surrey County Council's decision to allow drilling for oil at Horse Hill. The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark judgment that Surrey County Council acted unlawfully by granting planning permission for oil production at Horse Hill without considering the climate impact from when the oil is inevitably burnt. This judgment could have implications for other fossil fuel projects, including the Whitehaven coal mine and the Rosebank oil field. This is a big blow for the fossil fuel industry. Friends of the Earth is now urging all political parties to commit to a ban on any new fossil fuel projects.
Success! Horse Hill oil, Surrey
We went to the highest court in the country, the Supreme Court, to support community campaigners the Weald Action Group in their challenge to Surrey County Council's decision to allow drilling for oil at Horse Hill. The Supreme Court has delivered a landmark judgment that Surrey County Council acted unlawfully by granting planning permission for oil production at Horse Hill without considering the climate impact from when the oil is inevitably burnt. This judgment could have implications for other fossil fuel projects, including the Whitehaven coal mine and the Rosebank oil field. This is a big blow for the fossil fuel industry. Friends of the Earth is now urging all political parties to commit to a ban on any new fossil fuel projects.
Group of people on a beach with banners that say No Gas Caverns
Success! Gas caverns in Larne Lough
7 huge underground caverns for storing gas are set to be excavated under Larne Lough. They'd make a hypersaline "dead zone" in a marine protected area, where no animals or plants could survive. We're working with local campaigning group No Gas Caverns and took a case to the High Court in Belfast. While the judge ruled against us in August 2023, we launched an appeal and won in June 2024.
Success! Gas caverns in Larne Lough
7 huge underground caverns for storing gas are set to be excavated under Larne Lough. They'd make a hypersaline "dead zone" in a marine protected area, where no animals or plants could survive. We're working with local campaigning group No Gas Caverns and took a case to the High Court in Belfast. While the judge ruled against us in August 2023, we launched an appeal and won in June 2024.
Quarry lorries move materials around the Ffos-Y-Fran opencast coal mine on November 17, 2009 in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales.
Success! No more mining at Ffos y Fran
Ffos y Fran, UK's largest opencast mine, is to close after councillors unanimously decided to reject an application to continue mining until March 2024. This decision in April 2023 follows years of campaigning by Merthyr Tydfil Friends of the Earth and other local community groups.
Success! No more mining at Ffos y Fran
Ffos y Fran, UK's largest opencast mine, is to close after councillors unanimously decided to reject an application to continue mining until March 2024. This decision in April 2023 follows years of campaigning by Merthyr Tydfil Friends of the Earth and other local community groups.

How to have a future without fossil fuels