Dear amazing friends and backers

Yesterday there was a big "No" to Heathrow and a big "Yes" to a safe climate future.

We made history together as the Court of Appeal ruled unanimously that the Government's reckless plans to expand Heathrow Airport were unlawful because they had failed to take account of the Paris Agreement!

The judgement is now travelling around the world faster than a 747!

Here's what the New York Times had to say about the global implications of the ruling:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/27/world/europe/heathrow-airport-third-runway-uk.html

We've even got Greta tweeting about us!

Take a moment to enjoy the historic Court Order that prioritises people and planet over profit:

https://planb.earth/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Court-of-Appeal-Final-Order.pdf

And here's the unanimous judgement of the Court of Appeal in full (the good bit starts at paragraph 184!):

https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Heathrow-judgment-on-planning-issues-27-February-2020.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0XBJKbWbzTKhQz4xR0NvvzflWBnA_28Du81QGhAJ2egWk6QLQHmQau8J8.

None of this would have been possible without your support.

Thank you! And let's keep this going.

Plan B.Earth

Dear Friends

Next Thursday, 27 February, it's the moment of truth on Heathrow!

The Court of Appeal will hand down its judgement: Was Chris Grayling, the sacked Transport, right to ignore the Paris Agreement temperature limit when approving plans for Heathrow expansion?

If the Court rules that he was wrong, and the largest infrastructure project in the country is stopped in its tracks because the Government failed to give proper consideration to the climate crisis, we will be hearing the sound of cracking in the global carbon economy. The implications will be huge, in the UK and beyond.

We don't yet no what time judgement will be delivered (although it's likely to be in the morning). We'll update you when we know. In the meantime please pencil in the date. It would be great to see you there.

If you can't make it in person, in view of the exceptional public interest in the case, the judgement will be live-streamed via the link here:

https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/the-court-of-appeal-civil-division-live-streaming-of-court-hearings/

#NoToHeathrow

#NoHolidaysOnADeadPlanet

Love and Rage

Plan B

The trial is over and we're now awaiting the court's judgement.

We expect to have it some time in May or June although it could be sooner.

Whatever the outcome:

• we were able to present our case fully and fairly
• both inside and outside court, attention was focussed on the urgency and gravity of the climate crisis.

The transcripts of the trial are here (our submissions were on the 13th and 19th of March):

https://www.judiciary.uk/publications/heathrow-claimants-v-the-secretary-of-state-for-transport-transcripts/

Below is some of the media coverage:

Legal Battle over Heathrow Expansion to start at High Court (Daily Mail)

No to Heathrow: Climate Campaigners Outline Case Against Third Runway (Desmog)

We'll update you as soon as there's any news.

Best wishes,

Plan B.

The legal challenges to the UK Government's reckless plans to expand Heathrow Airport have been described as the "iconic battleground against climate change". The model of "business-as-usual" growth is pitched against the scientific imperative to cut emissions urgently. It's now clear that the Government failed to assess Heathrow expansion against the Paris limit. Unbelievably the Government appears to be denying that the Paris limit is government policy:

"the Claimant is wrong to assert that “Government policy […] is to limit warming to the more stringent standard of 1.5˚C and “well below” 2˚C””. 

Yet, as things stand only the 100 or so people who can cram into Court 76 of the UK High Court will be able to hear the evidence. It's 2019 and that doesn't make sense! Please support Friends of the Earth's and Plan B's application for have the proceedings live-streamed by taking 5 seconds to:

1) sign and share the form below:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNXc8tnehLImdx-MqVccT4F0HvF2QrrD6WsWCHpHGz9eupeg/viewform

2) Retweeting this tweet:

https://twitter.com/PlanB_earth/status/1082567177998385152

It's your case and you should be able to follow it!

Thank you.

Plan B

Dear Friends of the Planet

Thank you so much for your support in helping us reach our £5,000 target to challenge the Government's reckless plans for Heathrow expansion. You've put us in a strong position to cover our costs in this case.

Meanwhile in seeking to defend our claim the Government argues that “[Plan B] is wrong to assert that “Government policy[…] is to limit warming to the more stringent standard of 1.5˚C and “well below” 2˚C””. 

Yup, you read that right. 

The Government denies that its policy is to limit warming to the level that, according to science, is necessary to avert climate catastrophe. Thank you for helping us to shine a spotlight on this unarguable position.

We filed our Reply to the Government's submission on Friday, which you can read here:

https://planb.earth/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/REPLY-TO-DGR.pdf

Seasons greetings and best wishes for a 2019 that marks a turning point to a safer future.

Plan B