Positive Climate Stories in May
From a landmark German court ruling opening the door to corporate climate accountability to China’s clean energy growth driving a fall in emissions, May brought plenty of positive changes. Let’s dive into this month’s positive climate stories!
Legal story of the month
1. Public opposition and climate law halt high-emissions farm expansion plan
In April, a Norfolk council refused planning permission for the redevelopment of an industrial ‘megafarm’ by meat producer Cranswick plc. This was a victory not only for the environment – avoiding 50,000 tonnes of CO2annually – but also for the local community. More than 13,000 objections were submitted, along with a petition signed by over 42,000 people.
Grounds for refusal
The council refused the application on the grounds that the applicant failed to:
Demonstrate the proposal would not result in significant adverse effects on nearby protected sites.
Provide sufficient information for the council to determine the development’s contribution to climate change, which the council is required to consider.
What kind of emissions are we talking about?
Megafarms are large-scale intensive animal production operations. The proposed unit would have had capacity for 714,000 chickens and 14,000 pigs.
In 2023, agriculture was responsible for 11% of the UK’s total domestic emissions, including those from land use change, feedstock, transport, fuel, enteric fermentation and waste management. The sector is also a leading cause of water pollution due to chemical and waste run-off.
What is the relevant legal position?
The council followed legal advice that “inevitable, quantifiable emissions” up and downstream need to be included in order to make a climate change assessment for the megafarm. This reflects the UK Supreme Court ruling in R Finch v Surrey County Council [2024] UKSC 20 (Finch), which found a planning permission for an oil well unlawful due to its lack of consideration for downstream greenhouse gases.
This principle from Finch is starting to have widespread implications – not just for fossil fuels, but also for sectors like agriculture, as illustrated here. It’s also influencing cases in Europe and shaping interpretation of EU law. This decision is a powerful example of how public pressure and climate law can make a real difference.
Watch this space for OG's legal briefing on a recent decision by the European Free Trade Association Court, applying this principle by holding fossil fuel projects must be subject to full emissions assessment, including Scope 3 emissions, before approval.
2. China’s clean energy growth leads to fall in emissions
China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, has seen a notable drop in CO₂ emissions, driven for the first time by a rapid rise in clean electricity. Despite continued growth in power demand, emissions fell in the first quarter of 2025 thanks to major increases in solar, wind and nuclear energy.
This marks a significant shift: while previous dips in emissions were linked to economic slowdowns (like the financial crisis or the Covid pandemic), this decline is the result of investment in low-carbon energy.
Clean electricity growth not only met new demand, it exceeded the average annual increase in demand seen over the past 15 years. As a result, coal power generation declined, even as overall electricity use rose.
Beyond the power sector, emissions fell across most areas of the economy from December 2024 to March 2025. The only sector where emissions continued to rise was coal-to-chemicals.
While it remains to be seen whether this trend will continue, this new data points to a potential turning point, with clean energy starting to push China’s emissions into long-term decline.
Last month, China pledged tougher climate targets in front of international leaders –promising, for the first time, a national plan covering all sectors and greenhouse gases. The recent fall in emissions is a promising sign, but the next key moment will be when China submits its updated climate plan ahead of COP30, and whether the trend in emissions continues.
The fall in power sector emissions came despite surging electricity demand growth
— Simon Evans (@DrSimEvans) May 15, 2025
This is the first time on record that clean energy growth has been sufficient to cut into coal power, without the help of weak power demandhttps://t.co/DCJcZdWxGx
3/7 pic.twitter.com/TpuUrNqo8s
3. German court confirms polluters can be liable for climate damage
After nearly 10 years of legal proceedings, a German court has ruled that major corporate polluters can be held liable for the impacts of climate change under national law.
The case was brought by Peruvian farmer and mountain guide Saúl Luciano Lliuya, who sought $20,000 from German energy giant RWE to help fund flood defences for his hometown of Huaraz. The town faces growing risks from glacial lake outburst floods, which scientists have linked to climate change driven by global emissions.
Although the court ultimately dismissed the claim – finding the local flood risk insufficient to be awarded the damages sought – the decision sets a powerful precedent. The judges confirmed that large private emitters can be held accountable for climate harms, even when those harms occur far from where emissions are released. Importantly, the court also recognised that attribution science can be used to connect specific climate impacts to individual emitters.
As our Legal Director David Kay puts it, this is a “legal breakthrough for communities all around the world that face devastation from climate change caused by big corporate emitters.”
Read David’s brilliant blog for a deeper dive into this case and what it means for climate justice.
4. New rule set to reduce air pollution in the Mediterranean Sea
As of 1 May 2025, the Mediterranean Sea has officially become an Emission Control Area (ECA) under MARPOL Annex VI, introducing stricter controls on air pollution from ships. Ships operating in this area are now required to use fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 0.10%, a significant reduction from the previous global limit of 0.50%.
This change will help reduce harmful air pollution that affects millions of people, from children with asthma to older adults at risk of heart and lung conditions.
In addition to health improvements, the new regulations aim to mitigate environmental issues such as acidification, which can harm crops, forests and aquatic ecosystems. Enhanced air quality is also expected to improve visibility at sea, potentially reducing the risk of maritime accidents.
The Mediterranean Sea is one of the world's busiest maritime regions, supporting approximately 20% of global seaborne trade. The implementation of these stricter fuel standards marks a step forward in limiting the environmental impact of shipping in the region.
Despite this, work remains to be done. As our Scientific Officer, James Kershaw, explains, “limiting sulphur-based air pollution from shipping in the Mediterranean is a crucial step for improving the region’s public health and environment. However, unlike ECAs in the North and Baltic Seas, the Mediterranean Sea ECA does not regulate emissions of nitrogen oxides, another harmful air pollutant. It is essential that efforts to reduce air pollution from shipping across the Mediterranean continue, and closing the gap in nitrogen oxide regulation could be a clear next step.”
5. UK government’s own study contradicts its plan to weaken nature protections
In a surprising but hopeful turn, the UK government has admitted that environmental protections aren’t actually holding back housebuilding – despite using that claim to justify a major new bill. Their own analysis shows there’s little evidence to suggest that rules protecting wildlife and habitats are causing delays to development.
This is a big moment for campaigners and communities who’ve been pushing back against plans to weaken nature protections. It confirms what many have said all along: that we can build the homes we need without sacrificing nature.
The proposals would let developers skip certain environmental duties (like protecting animals such as bats, newts and otters) by paying into a central fund meant to restore nature elsewhere. But critics argue this could harm local wildlife and make it harder for some communities to access green spaces.
Now, with the government’s own data undermining the case for these changes, there’s an opportunity to rethink. It’s a reminder that good policy needs to be based on facts, and that public pressure, backed by science, can shift the conversation.
What positive climate stories have lifted your spirits this month? Share it with us on X, Bluesky or LinkedIn and we’ll help to spread the word.
