Readers will remember the UN ruling that Ireland's energy policies were non-compliant with the Aarhus Convention, a point that was somewhat moot since Ireland had not actually ratified the convention anyway.
However, the implications of the ruling were clear for the EU. Nation states are not able to plough on with policies that are alleged to deal with climate change without the consultations that are mandated by the convention. A test case, put before them by Christine Metcalfe, a community councillor from Taynuilt in Argyll, has now been accepted by UNECE. Her "communication", the questions that UNECE require her and the UK government to answer, together with her response can be seen on the UNECE website. The UK government reponse is due in the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, the government and planning authorities around the country are in a quandary. The earlier ruling would appear to mean that the UK's headlong rush for wind power is illegal. Would responsible public authorities give the go-ahead to any more wind farms until the UNECE has ruled on the Metcalfe case? We will have to see. Judgement is expected in the middle of next year.