The UK’s independent climate advisers have warned that expanding Heathrow Airport—including plans for a third runway and additional terminals—would conflict with national carbon reduction targets. The Climate Change Committee argues such growth would exceed the country’s legally binding emissions budgets unless the aviation sector takes direct responsibility for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Current policies, they say, make it impossible to meet the 2050 net-zero goal if airport capacity increases without major emissions cuts. The proposal puts pressure on the government to enforce stricter conditions on the industry before approving any major infrastructure projects.
Climate Change Committee says government cannot expand airport without requiring aviation industry to clean up its emissions Heathrow airport should be allowed to expand only if airlines pay for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, the government’s climate advisers have said.Building a third runway and new terminals, as some in government want to do, would breach the UK’s carbon budgets and make reaching net zero by 2050 impossible, on current policies, according to the Climate Change Committee. Continue reading...
