John: Huge news!

The UK court of appeal has ruled that going ahead with the third runway at Heathrow airport is illegal because the government’s plans fail to take into account the UK’s climate change commitments.

It’s absolutely incredible. It shows the government that instead of pushing forward with climate-wrecking projects such as Heathrow, they need to get serious about tackling the climate emergency.

With such a clear sign from the courts, it’s time Boris Johnson cancels the Heathrow third runway once and for all. 

Can you add your name to the petition calling on the government to act on the climate emergency and support more sustainable options?

Already people in the UK and across the world are facing the effects of the climate crisis. A third runway at Heathrow - and expansion at any other airports - would only add fuel to the climate emergency as well as have serious consequences for air quality, noise and the quality of life for local communities.

So far the government has said they will not appeal the court’s decision. But the PM still has the ability to draw up new plans and push ahead with the runway. [1]

The bottom line is, any attempt to push ahead would completely undermine the government’s own commitment to bring the UK’s net emissions down to zero, and their global commitment to address climate change.

John, we can’t let that happen. Can you add your name and call on Boris Johnson to act on the climate emergency - and he can start by cancelling the third runway?

This ruling is an historic and ground-breaking win for our environment. It’s the first time a court has said that the government must consider its international climate commitments.

It’s especially significant in the year of COP26, the global climate conference the UK government will host in Glasgow this November.

The judgement shows that any major infrastructure projects backed by the government will need to factor in the climate emergency before getting the green light.

This could have big implications for future projects that risk pumping out huge amounts of carbon emissions.

This clearly sends a signal to the government that they need to get serious about tackling the climate emergency and start supporting more sustainable travel options.

Add your name now and let’s make sure our PM finally starts acting on the climate emergency.

Yesterday's judgment was a huge victory for everyone who is passionate about tackling the climate emergency.

People have been fighting this battle for over 12 years. It’s been an amazing coalition of local residents, local authorities, MPs and environmental organisations working together to fight against the expansion. It’s absolutely inspiring and folks here at Greenpeace are in awe of their hard work and commitment. 

This is how people power works. Thank you so much - whether you’ve just joined the climate fight or have been here since the beginning - this movement could not survive without you. 

Thank you so much,

John Sauven
Executive Director, Greenpeace UK

PS: Instead of locking in more carbon pollution with more airport expansion, we urgently need a fair and effective way to cut aviation emissions. Currently the majority of UK flights are taken by the 10% of the population who are frequent fliers, with around half of the UK not flying abroad at all in any given year. A frequent flyer levy could help make flying cheaper for families going on occasional holidays abroad, while ensuring that those who fly the most take most responsibility for their emissions by paying more. Find out more about the frequent flyer levy at: http://afreeride.org/

[1] Heathrow third runway decision: what happened and what does it mean?

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