Leeds Bradford Airport expansion campaigners taking government to court over ‘fantasy’ Jet Zero strategy

Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA) launched its campaign against what they describe as the Government’s ‘fantasy’ strategy to cut the polluting greenhouse gases caused by flying.

The campaigners are taking the government to court in an attempt to reverse the Jet Zero strategy, which was launched in July this year. The legal challenge is being made by Nick Hodgkinson, on behalf of GALBA.

Nick is from Leeds and is terminally ill with Motor Neurone Disease.

Nick, an active member of GALBA, said: “With the UK recording its highest ever temperatures this summer, wildfires burning down homes, parts of our region severely flooded last year and Pakistan currently under water, we simply cannot allow the aviation industry to pump out even more greenhouse gases and make the climate crisis worse. But that’s exactly what the government wants to allow and that’s why we’re taking them to court.”

The Jet Zero strategy has received fierce criticism from independent experts claiming it ignores repeated advice from the Government’s own climate change experts to limit demand for flying.

GALBA claims that Jet Zero encourages unrestrained growth in aviation – based on the hope that new fuels and technologies will be developed to cut emissions from flying to net zero by 2050.

Experts have warned, however, that these technologies either cannot be developed or cannot be scaled up in time to meet that crucial target date. As such GALBA believes the strategy is unlawful and is launching a Judicial Review.

Nick said: “The government claims that Jet Zero is how the aviation industry will reach net zero emissions by 2050. But that’s a fantasy. In reality Jet Zero does the opposite – it gives the green light to large scale expansion of airports and emissions.

"The government is just crossing its fingers and hoping there will be techno-solutions at some point in the future.

"That’s like someone speeding down a road that ends at a cliff edge over a ravine. Instead of slowing down way before the edge, the driver says ‘it’ll be fine, someone will have built a bridge by the time I get there’.”

GALBA previously took action against LBA’s expansion plans.