The government also faced accusations yesterday that it had scheduled today’s vote to ensure it came before the latest report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) this Thursday. The CCC’s chief executive Chris Stark joked last week that the report would be a “pain in the arse” for the government. It is expected to show the UK is still not on track to meet its medium term carbon budgets for the late 2020s and early 2030s and will call on the government to introduce a host of new policies to close the emissions gap. It is also expected to reiterate warnings that aviation emissions are growing rapidly and expansion of Heathrow can only be made compatible with UK climate targets if new greener aviation technologies are developed and steeper emissions reductions are achieved in other parts of the economy. The CCC recently wrote to Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to express disappointment over his failure to mention climate change when originally announcing the government’s backing for a third runway and warn an ambitious new aviation strategy was needed to manage future emissions. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, who is MP for Hayes and Harlington near Heathrow, said the third runway should be blocked on climate grounds. Campaigners maintain the government has not provided sufficient details on how it plans to minimise the project’s long term environmental impacts. They insist modelling that suggests the project will not breach air quality and emissions rules is based on unrealistic assumptions about technology development and future demand for flights.
Business Green 25th June 2018 read more »
