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Friends of the Earth, along with co-claimants Doug Paulley and Kevin Jordan, has taken its legal challenge against the UK’s climate adaptation plan to the European Court of Human Rights. The move follows the Court of Appeal’s refusal to hear an appeal against a High Court ruling that upheld the legality of the Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP), published in July 2023.
The claimants argue the NAP fails to protect at-risk groups—such as disabled people and those living in vulnerable areas—from climate impacts like extreme heat, flooding, and coastal erosion, in breach of human rights obligations. The case draws on recent warnings from the Climate Change Committee that the UK remains unprepared for climate risks.
Margherita Cornaglia represents the claimants, led by David Wolfe KC and Nik Grubeck, and instructed by Leigh Day.
Media coverage includes: Daily Mail, BBC here and here, The Guardian here and here, Independent, Reuters, The Times (time stamp: 24:47), ITV and Shropshire Star.
