Minister slammed for 'turning deaf ear' to climate watchdog to ram ahead with Heathrow third runway

A minister was heavily criticised for appearing to brush aside a warning from Britain’s climate watchdog on pressing ahead with a third runway at Heathrow .

Local energy minister Martin McCluskey seemed to dismiss a damning verdict by the UK’s Climate Change Committee on expanding the west London airport.

The Government’s global warming advisers stressed there is “no credible pathway” for the proposed third runway within the UK’s legally-binding climate targets under current policies for cutting aviation emissions.

The Government is backing a third runway at Heathrow as part of its plans to get the British economy growing again PA Archive The independent advisory committee also warned that the UK “does not have a credible plan to reduce” aviation emissions, posing a serious challenge to meeting the climate goals.

But asked about this authoritative assessment, Mr McCluskey told Times Radio: “Look, I've got a lot of time and respect for the Climate Change Committee, but their advice is exactly that.

He argued that improvements in aviation technology and greater use of sustainable aviation fuel, both long-promised, would reduce emissions.

"Today, Government ministers said the quiet part out loud - they don't take climate change seriously,” she told The Standard.

“By turning a deaf ear to the Climate Change Committee's warnings and pursuing Heathrow expansion regardless, the Government is making a mockery of our rightly ambitious climate commitments."

Twickenham MP Munira Wilson slammed the Government’s position on a third runway UK Parliament The CCC had warned that Heathrow expansion should not go ahead unless the aviation industry is forced to clean up its climate emissions .

The cost of international flights might have to increase by hundreds of pounds by 2050, to pay for measures that will help the airline sector cut its carbon pollution to zero overall, known as net zero, it said.

However, Chancellor John Healey last week gave full backing to a third runway at Heathrow, which will cost an estimated £49 billion, once terminal area improvements, moving the M25 and other investment are included.

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