The UK is withdrawing from a controversial treaty that allows fossil fuel giants to sue governments over their climate policies. The decision comes after campaigning and pressure by green groups and follows similar moves by Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. The government said the UK was withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty after attempts to modernise it had ended in stalemate.
'Remaining a member would not support our transition to cleaner, cheaper energy, and could even penalise us for our world-leading efforts to deliver net zero.' Shaun Spiers, executive director of the environmental thinktank Green Alliance, called the Energy Charter Treaty an 'out-of-date agreement' that 'undermines our efforts to tackle climate change'.