The Office for Environmental Protection Event

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) was created under the UK Environment Act 2021. The OEP is a new public body that aims to protect and improve the environment by holding government and other public authorities to account.

This event will feature a talk by Christopher Badger followed by a Panel discussion and Q&A with William Upton KC and Brendon Moorhouse.

Date: 23rd February 2023

Time: 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Venue: Room 2X242 (X block, Frenchay Campus, UWE Bristol). Map of the campus available here

Register:  You can register for this free event here

Agenda

5:00pm Welcome

5:10pm Christopher Badger, ‘The Office for Environmental Protection – a year on, and what to expect…’

This presentation will focus on:

• The Office for Environmental Protection and its enforcement role
• The duty on a public authority to co-operate with the OEP
• Failures to comply with environmental law by public authorities
• OEP priorities
• Information and Decision Notices
• Environmental Reviews
• The confidentiality of information provided to the OEP
• What to expect going forwards

Chris, a leading environmental lawyer, has an established practice in commercial regulatory investigations and prosecutions, specialising in environmental enforcement, acting for both corporate and individual defendants and on behalf of the Environment Agency. High profile cases in which he has recently been instructed include allegations of the deliberate illegal disposal of hazardous waste, the export of waste abroad, end of waste and environmental issues relating to the Thames Tideway super-sewer project.

5:40pm Panel discussion and Q&A

William Upton KC and Brendon Moorhouse will join Christopher Badger for the Q&A part of the event.

William Upton KC will address in particular whether the creation of the OEP changes how we should look at the enforcement of environmental law. William leads the Public, Planning and Environmental Law team in chambers, and his experience ranges across the civil and criminal courts, as well as planning inquiries. He has a particular interest in the overlap between planning and environmental law, and the regulatory control of land use.

Brendon Moorhouse will consider the options available that replace the complaint procedure to the European Commission under the new regime. Brendon works exclusively as an environmental barrister and has been involved in significant waste and water criminal cases as well as working in civil environmental permitting and regulation.

6:15pm Networking and refreshments

This event is organised by the Environmental Law and Sustainability Research Group of Bristol Law School (UWE Bristol) in collaboration with 6 Pump Court Chambers (London) and UKELA South-West.