The UK’s Supreme Court has ruled this week that the third runway for London Heathrow airport can proceed. The court has ruled in favour of the government’s decision to support a third runway at Heathrow and ruled that the government had taken proper account of the UK’s commitments as represented in the 2016 Paris agreement on climate change, when deciding whether to build a new runway.
A Heathrow spokesperson described the ruling as the “right result for the country”, adding: “Only by expanding the UK’s hub airport can we connect all of Britain to all of the growing markets of the world, helping to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in every nation and region of our country. Demand for aviation will recover from Covid, and the additional capacity at an expanded Heathrow will allow Britain as a sovereign nation to compete for trade and win against our rivals in France and Germany.”
“Heathrow has already committed to net zero and this ruling recognises the robust planning process that will require us to prove expansion is compliant with the UK’s climate change obligations, including the Paris Climate Agreement, before construction can begin. The Government has made decarbonising aviation a central part of its green growth agenda, through wider use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel as well as new technology. As passenger numbers recover, our immediate focus will be to continue to ensure their safety and to maintain our service levels while we consult with investors, government, airline customers and regulators on our next steps.”
Heathrow is now entitled to apply for planning permission for its third runway but the final decision on the project remains with the government.
GMB, the union for aviation workers, has welcome the decision as a “welcome boost at the end to a gruelling year for aviation workers who have seen their industry brought to its knees by the pandemic”. The union’s view is that a third runway would create thousands of jobs at Heathrow and in the wider supply chain.
