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‘Green’-light? Heathrow set to build third runway amid environmental concerns

Wed 16 Dec 2020    
EcoBalance
| 2 min read

Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, has received the go-ahead to build a third runway in a Supreme Court ruling Wednesday that overturned a legal decision to block the plans on environmental grounds.

The challengers have criticised the UK government for failing to take its climate change commitments in account, as the aviation industry looks to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

While Friends of the Earth insisted the ruling was not set in stone, as Heathrow had yet to address the climate concerns, Greenpeace moved to urge Prime Minister Boris Johnson to scrap the project, in the light of his vows to cut down carbon emissions — the same Johnson who once was ready to lie down before bulldozers to stop the runway project.

Instead, UK’s crashing economy has had him steering towards big infrastructure projects to help fortify Britain in a post-Brexit landscape.

The Supreme Court argued that the previous Conservative government — with Theresa May at its reign — had “no obligation” to consider the Paris climate agreement when it green lighted the runway.

Heathrow has said that work could begin in 2022, the delays owing to the ongoing legal challenges and the coronavirus upheaval.

Heathrow airport released a statement post-ruling, lauding the Court’s decision, which it said would also allow Britain to compete with continental rivals following Brexit.

The airport affirmed that it had “already committed to net zero” and would pan out the construction as per UK’s climate change obligations and in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.

As the industry continues to slump amid the COVID-19 curbs, Heathrow announced last week that its Terminal 4 would remain closed until the end of 2021.

Despite remaining one of the world’s largest airports, Heathrow was this year overtaken by Paris’ Charles de Gaulle as Europe’s top hub in terms of passenger numbers.

[Sourced from Agencies]