Planning and environmental law

What is environmental law?

Environmental law is a set of regulations that covers everything from climate breakdown to new developments in your town. If used properly, it can help protect the environment from harmful proposals like incinerators or new motorways.

Friends of the Earth's Legal and Planning Team has decades of experience using environmental law to support individuals and communities standing up for the environment. We help and defend people's right to:

Take part in the government's land-use planning system.
Use the law to protect the environment and public health.
Get hold of environmental information.

Our lawyers Katie and Will outside Court after Heathrow

Meet the legal team

Led by solicitor Will Rundle, the legal team at Friends of the Earth uses the law to hold government to account on climate. Find out more.

Meet the legal team

Led by solicitor Will Rundle, the legal team at Friends of the Earth uses the law to hold government to account on climate. Find out more.

Know your rights

Planning expert Magnus explains how you can use the Planning System to defend your community from climate-wrecking projects.

Know your rights

Planning expert Magnus explains how you can use the Planning System to defend your community from climate-wrecking projects.

Paper planes with messages opposing a third runway at Heathrow outside the Royal Courts of Justice.

Communities in action

Over the years, our Legal and Planning Teams have used the Planning System and environmental law to help communities secure some incredible successes. Read more.

Communities in action

Over the years, our Legal and Planning Teams have used the Planning System and environmental law to help communities secure some incredible successes. Read more.

Join the fight for people and planet

Donate today

Support fund for environmental law interns

Our legal interns play a big role in our successes while gaining the experience they need to kickstart their careers.

But not everyone can afford to volunteer.

We've created a fund that pays our legal interns a London living wage. The Phil Michaels Legal Interns Scholarship Fund helps talented young people from less-advantaged backgrounds. Can you support the fund?

Help fund budding lawyers

Planning and legal news

A line of silver flood defence barriers on the River Thames

How well is the UK adapting to climate change?

Published: 23 Nov 2023 | 4 minute read

Find out what climate adaptation is, how the UK is unprepared for the climate crisis, and why we're taking government to court over its adaptation plan.

Climate

General

What's the Net Zero Strategy and why are we trying to fix it?

Published: 19 Jul 2022 | Last updated: 07 Jul 2023 | 4 minute read

In 2022 we won a court case against the UK government over its main climate strategy. What's the Net Zero Strategy and why are we back in court to fix it?

Climate

Legal and planning

Politics

Successes

A group of climate protesters of different ages and ethnicities standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice with placards reading "Stop funding gas in Mozambique"

How do our court cases work?

Published: 04 Nov 2022 | 5 minute read

In July 2022 Friends of the Earth secured a court victory against the UK government over its economy-wide climate strategy. But what happens in a climate court case? Lawyer Will Rundle gives us a sneak peek behind the scenes.

System change

Legal and planning

People demonstrating with giant postcards outside the Royal Courts of Justice

How the Climate Change Act helped us hold the government to account

Published: 17 Oct 2022 | 2 minute read

In 2008 our campaign for the creation of the UK's Climate Change Act succeeded. Over a decade on, we explore how this Act has enabled us to carry out ground-breaking legal work that’s shaping the future of our planet.

Climate

Legal and planning

Illustration of Friends of the Earth's Legal Team

Equality and the government’s climate strategies

Published: 11 May 2022 | 3 minute read

As a result of our legal challenge, the UK government has admitted to acting unlawfully in its Heat and Building Strategy. Find out why its actions were unlawful, who it impacts and what happens next.

Climate

Legal and planning

Energy

Successes

Social justice

Our court case against the UK government funding a mega gas project in Mozambique

Published: 18 Mar 2022 | Last updated: 22 Jun 2023 | 6 minute read

Find out more about our legal challenge against the UK government, what’s happening in Mozambique and why it’s so important the UK government withdraws its funding from this mega gas project.

Climate

Energy

Legal and planning

Building construction site, with workers and scaffolding against sky

Campaigners hold off government's planning reforms

Published: 15 Sep 2021 | 2 minute read

The government was planning to make changes to the system that shapes how our towns and communities develop. But backlash from our supporters and other organisations has provoked a re-think. Find out about the campaign against proposals to the planning system and why it's important.

Climate

Legal and planning

Successes

photo of protest against climate induced migration at COP22

4 cases that threaten the UK's climate reputation

Published: 06 Sep 2021 | 4 minute read

The UK is set to host the UN climate talks (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021. But while the UK government claims to be a climate leader, it's currently involved in 4 cases that may worsen climate breakdown. Read about the cases.

Climate

Energy