Home Complaints database The Lifescape Project et al. vs. Drax Group plc
Complaint

The Lifescape Project et al. vs. Drax Group plc

Energy generator Drax’s statements mislead consumers on its climate and wider environmental impacts

Date filed
21 October 2021
Keywords
Countries of harm
Current status
Under review
Sector
NCP

Allegations

On 21 October 2021, The Lifescape Project, The Partnership for Policy Integrity, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Biofuelwatch, Save Estonia’s Forests, and Conservation North filed a specific instance against Drax Group plc at the UK NCP. The complaint concerns statements issued by Drax regarding the climate and wider environmental impacts of the energy it produces by burning woody biomass at its UK power plant. The complainants allege that the statements mislead consumers as to the company’s true impacts and are in breach of Chapter VI (Environment) paragraphs 2(a) and 6(c) and Chapter VIII (Consumer Interests) paragraphs 2, 4 and 5. The complainants are seeking mediation from the NCP with the aim of Drax agreeing to withdraw the statements and work with the complainants to agree to future messaging and a statement describing what the complainants believe are the real environmental impacts of Drax’s energy generation. Should the mediation prove unsuccessful, the complainants are asking the NCP to proceed with its own investigation and issue a final statement setting out its findings regarding the company’s adherence or failure to adhere to the Guidelines.

Relevant OECD Guidelines

Outcome

On 27 July 2022, NCP UK published its initial assessment accepting the complaint for further consideration. The NCP accepted four out of five of Drax’s allegedly misleading statements identified by the complainants. One of Drax’s statements, concerning its target to become carbon negative by 2030, was rejected on the basis that the evidence provided by the complainants did not substantiate the allegation, and that Drax’s statement in this regard was consequently misleading. The UK NCP will offer mediation to both parties.

More details

Defendant
Company in violation
Complainants
Affected people

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