Climate Change Won, Heathrow Lost
Protest in Heathrow had been going on the last few days against Heathrow’s 3rd runway expansion plan. The Court of Appeal judgement has made its decision that Heathrow’s third runway plan is illegal over Paris’ conference’s “climate change”.
Protests against climate change have not only taken place in Heathrow but also everywhere in London. Along bank side of the river Thames, the protest over oceanic pollution caused by fuel oil from cruises were represented by a polar bear statue. On this February 23rd, an IMO working group were protesting in front of the IMO building against fuel shipping that pollutes the arctic ocean. Climate change has been the main concern among the beginning of the new 2020s.
The protestors against Heathrow’s third runway expansion were gathering at Heathrow Terminal 5, holding banners of “stop climate changes” during the past few days. Today’s morning, many people gathered together in front of the Court of Justice waiting to celebrate the monumental moment.
The protests against Heathrow 3rd runway have been taken place for at least a year. The website of *Stop Heathrow Expansion*introduces themselves as a grassroot-led campaign group, and they have organised protests across London since last year. They call the 3rd runway “Heathrow nightmare”
However, nothing is one sided. When economic growth needs to step back for better planet, people tend to lose their jobs. Even though Today rough sleeping is reported fall by 9%, some protesters stand with Heathrow with a hashtag #backheathrow on social media. They are also, grassroots. They were spotted holding banners of “Creating jobs and cutting carbon” outside of Royal Court of Justice this morning together with grassroot environmentalists. According to one of the campaigners, over 100,000 people support the third runway expansion, and it is a huge disappointment to local communities since Brexit. Additionally, the UK after Brexit needs this expansion to create more jobs, and locals see this as a great opportunity.
Furthermore, a protestor mentioned the economy to the entire UK that an expansion on runway would lead to more frequent trading roads that eventually help the economy. “Look at our government, whom needs to attract more international students for tuition fees to maintain a stable economy status,” he said.
However, will the judgement of illegality by the Court of Justice to third runway be effective eventually? The government has made it clear that they will not appeal but Businessman thinks it cuts the necessary international connections, and there will be chances that an appeal(not issued by the government) against the ban of third runway to the Supreme Court. Some spokesman positively believes an appeal against this illegality to Supreme Court which will eventually happen in the future, according to BBC’s report Heathrow expansion: Is this the end for the third runway? by Tom Edgington.
For now, sustainability and climate change has won, for once.
