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Heathrow: Activists progress with legal challenge against ‘unlawful’ decision to build third runway

‘Government should never have entertained the idea of a climate-wrecking third runway,’ say critics

Josh Gabbatiss
Science Correspondent
Monday 14 January 2019 00:57 GMT
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MPs vote in favour of third runway at Heathrow

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Campaigners are taking the government to court in a bid to overturn the “unlawful” decision to approve a third runway at Heathrow airport.

The pre-trial hearing for Friends of the Earth’s case will take place on Tuesday at the High Court.

It is one of five legal challenges against the third runway being undertaken by organisations and individuals on the grounds of climate, air quality and harm to the wellbeing of local residents.

MPs approved the new development at Europe’s busiest airport in June, with the runway set to open in 2026.

In its challenge, Friends of the Earth says the decision is unlawful as it does not consider climate change and sustainable development goals.

Critics have argued it will be virtually impossible for Britain to meet its obligations to cut emissions under the Paris climate agreement if a new runway is built.

Government advisory body the Committee on Climate Change has warned the expansion also threatens the government’s own legally binding pledge to cut carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

However, transport secretary Chris Grayling said he was confident that technical innovations would clean up the sector sufficiently so that expansion could happen without breaking these targets.

Others have dismissed these claims, pointing out that air travel has proved notoriously difficult to decarbonise.

One recent report produced by campaign group Fellow Travellers concluded that electric air travel, for example, is not likely to be implemented on a significant scale in the near future.

With this in mind, many green groups have argued that, despite demand being high, the UK simply cannot sustain any more air travel.

“The government should never have entertained the idea of a climate-wrecking third runway, with Heathrow already the UK’s single biggest source of emissions,” said Laura MacKenzie, climate change campaigner at Friends of the Earth.

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“Support for airport expansion ignores the severity of the climate crisis and the harm that it is already inflicting on people and nature around the world including right here in the UK.

“The government should cancel the third runway and adopt fair and equitable policies to keep aviation demand within environmental limits, such as a frequent flier levy.”

Further challenges are coming from mayor of London Sadiq Khan, local authorities and Neil Spurrier, a resident of Twickenham.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Expansion at Heathrow will provide a boost to the economy, increase our international links and create tens of thousands of new jobs.

“As with any major infrastructure project, we have been anticipating legal challenges and will robustly defend our position.”

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