Friends of the Earth reacts to CCC advice on international aviation and shipping emissions

Press release
"For too long governments have hidden away from the further climate disaster that would come with aviation expansion."
  Published:  24 Sep 2019    |      1 minute read

The Committee on Climate Change has today (24th September) issued a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport on net-zero and the approach to international aviation and shipping emissions.

In reaction to this, Jenny Bates, campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

“For too long governments have hidden away from the further climate disaster that would come with aviation expansion. With the Net Zero climate target now enshrined in law the Committee on Climate Change is right to say that international aviation emissions must be formally included in our carbon budgets.

“The aviation sector must play its part in meeting targets and stopping the climate crisis from getting any worse. Expansion of airports, whether at Heathrow or anywhere else, simply can’t go ahead if we’re serious about a decent future for the planet.”

Friends of the Earth is continuing to legally challenge the government over its decision to allow the expansion of Heathrow - taking the case to The Court of Appeal from 17 October. The organisation argues that the government has failed in its duties on sustainable development (looking after the interests of future generations) and that a third runway would leave them more at risk of inheriting a high-carbon world suffering climate breakdown.