Celebrating one year at OG with our Legal Manager, Kirsty Mitchell

Since joining Opportunity Green a year ago as a Legal Manager, Kirsty has been key in the legal team’s work in the shipping sector and in kickstarting OG’s engagement in decarbonising steel production. Here she reflects on her first year in the role.

Kirsty makes friends with our Chief Security Officer, Roo!

What drew you to work at OG?

Joining OG’s legal team was a really exciting prospect for me. While OG was relatively young at the time I applied for the role of Legal Manager, it was working at the cutting edge of strategic climate law and already making significant strides – and I wanted to be a part of it!

In my previous role at a commercial law firm, I advised corporates on energy transactions and environmental law. But my ambition was to work on purpose-driven projects, and proactively use my legal skills to help solve some of the major problems facing our planet (and perhaps challenge the laggards holding us back…). While I’d had some experience with this in a voluntary capacity, the opportunity to do it full time at OG was hugely appealing – all the more so considering the brilliant colleagues (human and canine) that I’d get to work with. Being able to do this kind of role in Scotland while getting to connect with the rest of the team in London on a monthly basis was also unique!

Beyond the work itself, OG’s core values and genuine commitment to personal wellbeing really resonated with me and has only proven true over the last year. Working in the climate space can be overwhelming, and having a truly supportive working environment, progressive policies, and a 4-day week really helps to keep the energy up!

What has changed since you started?

Only 10 new colleagues, two new offices (in London and Brussels) and several new projects! It’s been a really exciting time for OG as we’ve expanded our presence, capabilities and impact.

For the legal team, a key milestone that stands out from last year was the launch of our first ever court case. In August 2024, we supported an NGO coalition to challenge the EU Commission for labelling polluting planes and ships as sustainable in the EU Taxonomy. The case picked up extensive media coverage, and it’s been great to see OG’s credibility as legal experts in aviation and shipping increasingly recognised over the past year. At the same time, we’ve expanded into new sectors such as steel, agriculture and finance. What hasn’t changed is OG’s ambitious approach to tackling key sectors where emissions are huge and not yet reducing.

What are you most proud of being involved in since you joined?

There are many things to choose from, but I’m really proud of the legal team’s work (and perseverance) on delegitimising fossil LNG as a sustainable shipping fuel. What started out as a report on cruise ship greenwashing in 2023 has led to a number of legal actions thanks to the team’s efforts in highlighting the adverse climate impacts of LNG. I’m happy to have played a part in this project.

Beyond our external-facing wins, I’m proud of the progress that’s been made behind the scenes to develop OG’s legal action strategies into an entirely new sector, steel. As a newbie to the sector this time last year, I’ve enjoyed learning about the complexities of iron and steel production and exploring the potential for strategic legal interventions to drive the sector’s much-needed transition to a coal-free future. As part of this work, I didn’t expect my first OG media piece to be in the Financial Times of all places, but I have our brilliant comms team to thank for that!

What inspires you about what you’re working on?

Being surrounded by passionate and dedicated colleagues, all with a shared appreciation for the bold actions we must take to deliver a big impact is truly inspiring. This applies to the entire OG team, but also the wider NGO community that I’ve engaged with. In the steel world, a diverse network of dynamic climate NGOs are addressing the challenge of steel decarbonisation from all angles, which gives me hope that collectively we can deliver real systemic change.

As for the climate litigation world, as well as OG’s own successes to date, it’s encouraging to follow the progress of other organisations and individuals using the courts as a lever to advocate for climate justice. Over the last year, landmark cases like KlimaSeniorinnen (where a group of senior women successfully challenged the Swiss government’s inadequate climate policies at the European Court of Human Rights) serve as a powerful example of citizens using legal tools for climate accountability – and I’m motivated to be a part of this wider movement.

And if I’m ever in need of more motivation, spending time in the outdoors (preferably on a surfboard or sailboat) always helps to remind me of what we’re striving to protect.

Kirsty during our media training day.

What are you looking forward to in the coming year?

This year, I’m excited to start transforming our legal strategies and project ideas into action. In a world that currently feels like we are facing one climate setback after another, it’s all the more important to go bigger and bolder on holding heavy emitters and key decision-makers accountable for their impacts. I look forward to seeing OG lead the charge and continue to break new ground in our focus sectors.

On a lighter note, I’m also excited for more OG socials! A particular highlight last year was the team foraging day in Hampstead Heath, and next week we are off to see Kyoto at Soho Place theatre. In a fast-growing organisation, these activities are a great way to get to know everyone better and I look forward to more of this in 2025!