DrillOrDrop’s diary of events in autumn-winter 2023 involving the UK onshore oil and gas industry and campaigns about it.

Find out more about four legal challenges, one appeal and one planning decision

This post will be updated with new details as we get them. Please let us know about any events you think should be included.

Saturday 9 September 2023

Campaign support. Campaigner Sarah Finch and Weald Action Group add voice to protest against new coal mine at Whitehaven in Cumbria. Details

Monday 11 September 2023

Union Jack Oil interim accounts.

Wednesday 13 September 2023

Star Energy (formerly IGas) interim accounts.

Thursday 14 September 2023

Coal mine decision. Carmarthenshire County Council decides on further extraction from the Glan Lash opencast coal mine. 10am, County Hall, Carmarthen SA31 1JP. Agenda and details

Saturday 16 September 2023

End fossil fuels march in London. Assembles Grosvenor Gardens at12 noon. Details

Monday 18 September 2023

Restoration begins. Work due to start on restoration of Star Energy (formerly IGas) shale gas site at Springs Road, Misson, Nottinghamshire.

Legal challenge. Deadline for Scottish government to respond to the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland and Good Law Project over compliance with Scotland’s obligations under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. Link to letter

Tuesday 19 September 2023

Procession to East Sussex County Hall. March to coincide with vote by East Sussex Pensions Committee on whether to divest from fossil fuels. Assembles at Lewes station at 8.15am.

Saturday 30 September 2023

South East Rising event in Brighton. 11am. Location to be announced. Details

Sunday 1 October 2023

Divest East Sussex 10th anniversary gathering. 2pm-4.30p-m in Lewes. Email  divesteastsussex@gmail.com for more details.

Sunday 1 October – Wednesday 4 October 2023

Conservative Party Conference, Manchester

Sunday 8 October – Wednesday 11 October 2023

Labour Party Conference, Liverpool

Week starting Monday 16 October 2023

Divestment and local government pension fund report published.

Friday 20 October 2023

Legal challenge over NI diesel emissions. Friends of the Earth and The Public Interest Litigation Support have been granted permission from the High Court to bring a legal challenge against Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure over its failure to ensure that legally compliant diesel emissions tests are carried out at government-controlled MOT vehicle testing centres.

Thursday 26 October 2023

Rough Justice: Protest and the Police. The first in a new series of talks organised by Legal Action Group and Garden Court Chambers about miscarriages of justice and those on the sharp end of the justice system. 6pm-8pm Garden Court Chambers, 57-60 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3LJ. To book

Monday 30 October 2023

Angus Energy general meeting. 11am, Fladgate LLP office, 16 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5DG. Details

Tuesday 7 November 2023-Friday 10 November 2023

Court hearting. Legal challenge over three mineral exploration licences in Northern Ireland.

Wednesday 8 November 2023

Energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, appears before energy security and net zero committee. 2pm, committee room 6, Palace of Westminster. Details

Thursday 9 November 2023

AJ Lucas virtual AGM. Includes a resolution “to consider and, if thought fit” re-elect Francis Egan as a director. Details

Thursday 30 November to Tuesday 12 December 2023

COP28 Dubai. The conference will include the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement on how much global efforts are failing to achieve necessary emissions reductions and adaptation to the impact of climate change.

Friday 8 December 2023

Speakers’ Corner against the West Cumbria coal mine. 12 noon-2pm, Whitehaven. Speakers include: Ciara Shannon, project Collette; Helen Tucker, Labour councillor; Gillian Kelly, Ambleside Action for a Future; Lindy Powell, climate campaigner; Jill Perry, Green councillor.

Monday 18 December 2023

Sentencing of Dr Gail Bradbrook, co-founder of Extinction Rebellion, found guilty of breaking a window at the Department of Transport.

Unconfirmed events due autumn-winter 2023/2024

• Ruling in Supreme Court case Finch v Surrey County Council. The case concerns the council’s failure to assess emissions from the use of oil produced at Horse Hill.
• Legal challenge to government decision to approve new coal mine in West Cumbria. High Court, London. Date dependent on outcome of Finch v Surrey County Council.
• Offshore oil and gas licences. The North Sea Transition Authority is expected to award permits to companies to explore for oil and gas.
• Divestment and local government pension fund report. Updated report due to be published by Platform, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
• Legal challenge to government’s revised net zero strategy. Case brought by Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and Good Law Project. Expected in early 2024.

Later dates

31 March 2024

Deadline for plugging Cuadrilla’s two fracked shale gas wells at Preston New Road, subject to rig availability

30 June 2025

Deadline for restoration of Cuadrilla’s Preston New Road shale gas site