The United Nations Economic Commission Europe (UNECE) states that the government breached Article 7 of the Aarhus Convention and urges the government to take appropriate steps for public participation in future plans and programs that are along the lines of the National Renewable Energy Action Plan.
The Telegraph and The Independent claimed the decision “is likely to affect the future wind farms planned in the country.”
Environmental lawyer David Hart, QC, believes, “This ruling means that consents and permissions for further wind-farm developments in Scotland and the UK are liable to challenge on the grounds that the necessary policy preliminaries have not been complied with, and that, in effect, the public has been denied the chance to consider and contribute to the NREAP.”
The ruling came after Argyll community councillor Christine Metcalfe filed a complaint with the UN, arguing the UK and European Union (EU) breached the Aarhus Convention because the government had not provided “reliable and transparent information on environmental matters, and sufficient participation in decision-making.”
A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) told the Telegraph, “We are aware of this decision and we are considering our response. Wind is an important part of our energy mix, providing clean home-grown power to millions of homes. Developers of both offshore and onshore wind farms do consult with communities and provide generous benefits packages.”
