AEF briefing highlights failure of Heathrow NPS to address climate change

18th August, 2017

Building on our infographic on the Airport NPS, AEF have published our first topic-based briefing setting out the key environmental challenges facing Heathrow expansion. Heathrow third runway: climate change details the Government’s failure to properly address C02 emissions as a result of expansion, and calls for an effective aviation climate change policy that demonstrates compliance with the Climate Change Act before any vote on the NPS can take place.

The period for public comment on the draft NPS closed at the end of May 2017. The process of parliamentary scrutiny, which was paused over the election period, is anticipated to resume in the autumn prior to a vote by MPs to approve the NPS, now expected in 2018. If voted through, there will be little opportunity for future governments to revisit or amend the NPS. We are calling on MPs not to support the airports National Policy Statement (NPS) unless it can show how the environmental impacts associated with expansion will be effectively managed.