Jet Zero Strategy judicial review High Court decision

GALBA is disappointed that the High Court has rejected our judicial review legal challenge against the government’s reckless and irresponsible Jet Zero Strategy. We are currently seeking legal advice about the prospects of appealing against the decision as the judge does not appear to have engaged fully with our legal arguments.

Jet Zero excludes the only proven way to control the aviation industry’s greenhouse gas emissions: limiting the demand for flying. Instead, the government has chosen to cross its fingers and hope that technical solutions will come along and save the day.

The problem is that none of Jet Zero’s proposed technologies exist at scale, nor are they likely to for decades, if ever. No independent experts believe that the alternative fuels and technologies relied on by the government can credibly cut aviation emissions to net zero by 2050. The government’s techno-optimism is not justified by the facts.

We can create a better and safer world for our children and their children but we must make the right decisions today. GALBA will carry on our fight to prevent the expansion of Leeds Bradford and to persuade the government to put our futures ahead of airlines’ profits.

Allowing airports to expand at this time will only result in more climate-wrecking emissions and more health-wrecking noise and air pollution for people living near airports.

The claims made by the government about the alleged economic benefits of expanding airports are out of date and need to be reassessed urgently. Business flying has fallen by a third since the Covid pandemic – and there is no sign of a revival – so more flying now means more people spending more money abroad more often. That is not good for our own economy.

Airport expansions are also disastrous for the future health of the planet. Although the judge’s decision to reject our judicial review challenge is a setback, this is not the end of our campaign!