August EWJ 24 - Flipbook - Page 20
5. IEMA (2022), Assessing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
Evaluating their Significance, 2nd Edition, dated February
2022. Available at:
https://www.iema.net/resources/blog/2022/02/28/launch-ofthe-updated-eia-guidance-on-assessing-ghg-emissions
Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities in its recent consultation on a new approach to environmental assessment,10 ‘…have the potential to result in change on
the ground.’ That is not to say that EIAs need to cause
a positive environmental change but they do need to
provide sufficient information for planning decisions
to be made.
6. Information on the GHG Protocol is available at:
https://ghgprotocol.org
7. IFRS (2023) Project Summary: IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, dated February 2023. Available at:
https://www.ifrs.org/content/dam/ifrs/project/general-sustainability-related-disclosures/project-summary.pdf
8. DESNZ (2023) Scope 3 Emissions in the UK Reporting
Landscape - Call for Evidence, dated October 2023. Available at:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652ea47569
7260000dccf9db/scope-3-emissions-in-the-uk-reportinglandscape.pdf
Concluding remarks
The recent Supreme Court judgement may well be a
landmark decision for planning applications for new
fossil fuel projects in the UK but the ruling also confirms what the climate change practitioner should consider when contributing to an EIA.
• An EIA cannot be limited to including only direct
GHG emissions from the project itself. This would not
comply with relevant EIA regulations.
9. European Environment Agency Briefing Note: The
case for public participation in sustainability transitions,
published 3 Oct 2023 and last modified 14 Jun 2024.
Available at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/thecase-for-public-participation
• In any event, excluding indirect GHG emissions
from an EIA is not good practice without justification
being given for screening out any emissions not relevant to the project.
• The GHG Protocol is an appropriate reference for
describing GHG emissions and can help in compiling
a full list of potential direct and indirect GHG
emissions.
10. DLUHC (2023) Environmental Outcomes Report: a
new approach to environmental assessment, published 17
March 2023. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/environmental-outcomes-reports-anew-approach-to-environmental-assessment/environment
al-outcomes-report-a-new-approach-to-environmentalassessment
• There is commonality between assessing GHG
emissions in an EIA and the emerging requirement
for companies to report GHG emissions as part of
climate-related financial disclosure.
• We need public participation in environmental
decision-making and, indeed, to transition to net zero.
The final point is worth highlighting as this is likely to
increasingly influence the economic case for a project
seeking planning approval. The basis for climate-related financial disclosure is that companies need to
show how they are responding to both the risks and
opportunities of the transition to net zero to maintain
or grow their business, and to the physical risks of
a changing climate. By definition, this requires
understanding consumer demand for goods and services; the very same consumers who are the public
participating in planning decisions.
Dr Matt Qsund-Ireland
Expert in Air Quality, Carbon
Management & Climate Resilience
BSc (Hons), PhD, Local Air Quality Management and Climate Change:
Tools for Joined Up Policy Interface, University of Greenwich, 2003
Matt Qsund-Ireland is a senior sustainability professional with extensive
international experience supporting commercial organisations, governments and
financial institutions on strategy, compliance, impact and risk assessment.
Matt has over 30 years of experience in supporting commercial organizations,
governments and financial institutions on strategy, environmental compliance,
impact assessment and due diligence in over 25 countries.
With a wealth of experience working in a broad range of sectors, from transport
References
to manufacturing, energy to urban regeneration and large industry to waste.
1. R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald
Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and
others (Respondents), Supreme Court Case ID:
2022/0064. Available at:
https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-2022-0064.html
Widely experienced in carbon footprinting, climate change resilience and risk
assessment, development and implementation of emission reduction and
adaptation plans, and environmental disclosure.
As a Chartered environmental scientist and technical leader, Matt has expertise
in all aspects of air quality and emissions management (ambient monitoring,
emissions testing, inventories, dispersion modelling, policy development and
2. Extinction Rebellion (2924) Press Release: Landmark
Supreme Court ruling slams brakes on all new fossil fuel
projects, dated 20 June 2024. Available at: https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2024/06/20/landmark-supreme-court-ruling-slams-brakes-on-all-new-fossil-fuel-projects/
strategy implementation) working in different regulatory regimes and on behalf
of governments, lenders, developers and industry.
Matt has presented evidence as an expert witness (including planning inquiries
and cross examination by House of Commons Select Committee).
Areas of Expertise include:
3. Note here that downstream emissions would also include refining, transport of the oil and non-combustion
uses of the oil.
" Air quality management
" Environmental impact assessment.
" Environmental due diligence
Contact, Mobile: +46 72 215 4889
4. DLUHC (2023) National Policy Planning Framework
(NPPF), dated December 2023. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65829e99fc07f3000d
8d4529/NPPF_December_2023.pdf.
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
" Carbon / climate change
Email: matt.osundireland@susteer.com
Website: www.susteer.com
Address: Skandiastigen 6, 182 63 Djursholm, Stockholm, Sweden
Area of work: Worldwide
18
AUGUST 2024
