It could rewrite the national aviation policy to attempt to take into account the Paris agreement and Boris Johnson’s own commitment to bringing the UK’s net emissions down to zero. The government has said it won’t appeal the ruling, which is an acknowledgement of the significance of its national and international climate obligations. The court has ruled that climate change has to be factored into the government’s national aviation policy, overturning claims from ex-transport minister Chris Grayling that the Paris agreement could effectively be ignored.Ībove all, it shows that the government’s commitments under the Paris agreement have to be taken into account in national law. Paris of course being the agreement, currently between every country on earth, to dramatically reduce carbon emissions in order to keep global temperature increases below 1.5✬. But today’s ruling comes from the court of appeal, which found that the government didn’t take into account its commitments under the global Paris agreement to reduce emissions. These cases were initially dismissed by the high court. These challenged the decision on various grounds, such as air pollution, noise pollution and traffic increases. This was despite previous commitments from David Cameron when he was prime minister that there would be no third runway.Ĭampaign groups opposed to airport expansion – including Greenpeace – responded with a series of judicial reviews, no less than five of them. In 2018, the government released the Airports National Policy Statement which explicitly backed a third runway at Heathrow airport. So what does this new ruling mean for the third runway and the climate crisis? What’s happened? Every step of the way, Greenpeace and many other groups – including HACAN, Stop Heathrow Expansion, local authorities, local communities and London’s mayors – have sought to block a new runway. It’s the latest twist in a saga that has been rumbling on for well over 10 years. The government has published a response to the Transport Committee inquiry.Īfter taking into account the consultation responses and the report and recommendations of the Transport Committee, the government remains of the view that new runway capacity is needed in the south-east and that the Heathrow north-west runway scheme is the best option for delivering it.The court of appeal has ruled that the government’s plans for a third runway at Heathrow failed to consider the UK’s commitments to reduce carbon emissions under the Paris agreement. Overall, they concluded that the government was right to pursue the option of the new north –west runway at Heathrow. The government has published a response to both these consultations.įurther analysis of the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement was also carried out through a Transport Committee inquiry. This will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate.įrom 2 February to the government ran a consultation asking for views on the need for increased airport capacity and on the draft Airports National Policy Statement.īetween 24 October and 19 December 2017 a further period of consultation was conducted on a revised draft to take into account new evidence that wasn’t available during the original consultation. The next stage of the process will see the scheme’s developers bring forward detailed proposals for planning consent. This sets out how it will work with Heathrow Airport Limited to deliver the new runway. On 26 June 2018, following approval of the statement by the House of Commons, the Secretary of State formally designated it as a national policy statement under section 5(1) of the Planning Act 2008.Īlongside the designated Airports National Policy Statement, the government has published a Post adoption statement and a Relationship framework document. On 25 June 2018, the House of Commons held a debate and vote on the proposed Airports National Policy Statement. On 5 June 2018 the proposed Airports National Policy Statement was laid before Parliament. the specific requirements that an applicant for a new north-west runway would need to meet to gain development consent.why government believes that need is best met by a north-west runway at Heathrow Airport.the need for additional airport capacity in the south-east of England.The designated Airports National Policy Statement sets out:
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