Friends Of The Earth Ltd, R. (On the Application Of) v The Secretary of State for International Trade Export Credits Guarantee Department (UK Export Finance) ("UKEF") & Anor [2022] EWHC 568 (Admin) - 15 March 2022
Country
Year
2022
Summary
The Claimant, Friends of the Earth (“FoE”), is a not-for-profit organisation that undertakes campaigning and other work in furtherance of environmental protection objectives for and in the public interest. FoE challenges the decision of the First Defendant Secretary of State to provide up to USD 1.15 billion in export finance and support in relation to a liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) project in Mozambique (“the Project”). The decision was in fact made by Mr Louis Taylor, the Chief Executive Officer of United Kingdom Export Finance (“UKEF”), formally exercising his delegated power under section 1 of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991.
The Project comprises the development of offshore deepwater gas production facilities, 50km from the coast of Northern Mozambique connected to an onshore gas receiving and liquefaction facility. It is to be operated by the First Interested Party and funded via the Second Interested Party. The decision is said to be one of the largest single financing packages ever offered by UKEF to a foreign fossil fuel project. It forms part of a much larger financing and support package in the region of USD 14.4 billion provided by multiple developed countries.