Every year a little known government department called the Export Credits Guarantee Department - or ECGD - underwrites certain UK exports. Often for activities in the most dangerous and politically unstable parts of the world.

The problem is that ECGD risks hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to underwrite these exports and the industries it supports are often the most damaging in terms of climate change and biodiversity loss; such as oil and gas production and aviation.

The activities of ECGD are contradictory to the government's own commitments on tackling climate change and supporting sustainable development. The secretive nature of this department means it often acts away from the gaze of both the public and parliament.

In 2007, WWF-UK discovered that ECGD had given a conditional, but legally-binding, offer of support for the world's largest oil and gas development off Sakhalin Island in the Russian Far East. This development is adjacent to the feeding grounds of the critically endangered Western Pacific Gray Whale, of which only 120 individuals remain, and the breeding grounds of Steller's Sea Eagle.

If support had been provided, this government department would have had a role in pushing both species into extinction. Is that how we want to see taxpayers' money spent? We don't think so. That is why we issued legal proceedings and launched a campaign against ECGD. And why we are pleased to be able to report that, as a result of our campaign, the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company has now withdrawn its application for support from ECGD.

However, the way ECGD operates has not changed. It is still at liberty to support projects with equivalent consequences for the climate and biodiversity in the future. We are therefore continuing our campaign to make ECGD accountable to the British taxpayer, climate change and the natural world.

Find out more about Sakhalin II and our legal action.