The NGOs argue that the permissions were granted illegally because they did not take into account the impact of emissions from burning oil and gas, which would be incompatible with the UK's climate targets.
However, the British Supreme Court, in June, qualified another drilling permit at Horse Hill (southern England) as illegal because it did not take into account the emissions generated by the use of the oil extracted.
A legal victory for environmental activists would mean operators would have to resubmit environmental assessments for approval before drilling can begin.
For Tommy Shepherd, a former member of the Scottish National Party, this affair will have repercussions beyond the Rosebank case alone. “It is the most important case because of its scale, but it will apply more generally to the decision-making process,” he told AFP.
“The last Conservative government granted 100 licenses in the last months of its mandate. They will all be called into question,” he adds.
