The UK Government is under increasing pressure to clarify how a 3rd Heathrow Runway could be delivered without breaching Air quality and CO2 dioxide emissions targets. In February the parliamentary EAC issued a report that called on the Government to produce a new Air quality strategy “to determine whether Heathrow Airport expansion can be delivered within legal Air quality limits”. It also said the Government “must not allow our Air quality standards to be watered down as a result of leaving the EU”, and urged clarification on what a post-Brexit Air quality national plan would look like. The UK needs to ensure EU Air quality targets won’t be quietly dropped. The government’s draft NPS has made vague assurances that “final development consent [for a third Heathrow Runway] will only be granted if the Secretary of State [for Transport] is satisfied that, with mitigation, the scheme would be compliant with legal Air quality requirements”. However, there is no clarity on what that means. They surely would not prevent Heathrow using its Runway, after spending so much money building it. Heathrow just says “Although we don’t have all these solutions yet we have a strong history of innovation and we’re confident that the next 10 years will hold even more exciting breakthroughs than the last.” ie. fingers crossed it all just – possibly – might be OK ….

#Air_pollution

#Heathrow

#Govt_under_pressure

#UK_Government