The judge acknowledged their principled belief that they were acting in the public interest. Yet when delivering her verdict yesterday, she told them all to expect time in prison – primarily because of the ‘astronomical cost’ of the protest for the airport’s owners, BAA.
But what this judge did not factor in is the cost to the rest of us that increasing aviation emissions pose. These thirteen people had blocked flights at Heathrow in a desperate attempt to stop people dying from the effects of pollution and climate change.
Rising pollution from air travel is a very real and dangerous problem that nobody with power wants to solve. While every other sector of industry battles to drive down CO2 as part of the Paris agreement, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is planning for air travel emissions to just keep on rising.
In fact, aviation emissions were not even included in the Paris climate agreement signed by 195 countries in December. In the UK, aviation is the only sector of the British economy that is not expected to make any contribution to national emissions reductions. Cameron’s pre-election, ‘no ifs, no buts’ pledge has slowly, painfully reverted to the default Government position on this topic: rising demand for more flights must be catered to at all costs – preferably with a new runway at Heathrow.
If a third runway is built at Heathrow we will have no hope of meeting our legally binding carbon targets. Meanwhile research published in 2012 estimated that Heathrow is already responsible for levels of air pollution that contribute to around 50 premature deaths each year – a number that could treble if a third runway is built.
This is the context in which Plane Stupid activists were compelled to intervene, by placing their bodies in the way of aeroplanes at Heathrow airport last summer. When democratic legislative processes have failed, it falls to ordinary citizens to act to protect the public interest and challenge the status quo. These brave souls were acting in all of our long-term best interests when they cut through the fence at Heathrow last summer.
It is now understood that climate change is an existential threat to human civilization. Anyone with a conscience should be doing what they can to address this threat. For most of us this means signing petitions, cycling more or insulating our lofts. But history teaches us that epic struggles against powerful vested interests cannot be won without some people being prepared to do much, much more than this – including putting their freedom on the line.
It takes a special sort of person to make this kind of commitment and sacrifice. The Heathrow 13 are just such people. History will judge them kindly.
If the judge goes ahead with her threat, the Heathrow 13 will be Britain’s first ever climate prisoners. But as the long as the state continues to fail so abysmally in its duty of care, they won’t be the last.
Leo Murray is a co-founder and former activist with Plane Stupid. He is currently campaigning for a fairer tax on air travel at afreeride.org.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/the-heathrow-13-threatened-with-jail-sentences-stand-on-the-right-side-of-history-a6835041.html
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Earlier:
Heathrow 13 – the justification for their action, and reaction to the verdicts
Date added: January 27, 2016
Guilty verdicts have been handed down against 13 climate activists protesting against the expansion of Heathrow airport in the UK. The Heathrow 13 were on trial for climate change direct action civil disobedience occupying a runway of Heathrow in July 2015. The legal defence of the Heathrow 13 was based on the law of necessity in directly preventing emissions which contribute to climate change and significant numbers of deaths arising from climate and pollution impacts from civil aviation. Judge Deborah Wright told the defendants to prepare for the likelihood of an unusually harsh sentence on February 24th, and possibly to expect 3 months in prison. Heathrow expansion is the big test of the UK government’s seriousness about climate change, particularly in the wake of the December 2015 UN Paris agreement, hoping to limit global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius and aspire to only 1.5 degrees. Heathrow represents 48% of UK emissions from aviation and is already “the airport with the highest CO2 contribution in the world in terms of combined international and domestic flights” This puts Heathrow expansion at odds with the UK Government’s commitment to avoiding a ‘well below’ 2’C target. Below are a selection of comments on the verdict on the Heathrow 13 and their belief that their action was necessary.
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“Heathrow13” climate protesters found guilty of aggravated trespass – sentencing 24th February, for possibly prison
Date added: January 25, 2016
Thirteen members of the Plane Stupid campaign group who occupied the eastern end of Heathrow’s northern runway on 13th July 2015 have been found guilty of aggravated trespass and entering a security-restricted area of an aerodrome. They have been told it is almost inevitable they will face a prison term. Their defence had been that their actions were intended to prevent death or serous illness to people. However, district judge Deborah Wright (who sat alone) said the cost of the disruption at Heathrow was “absolutely astronomical”. Those convicted were clapped and cheered as they left the court. They have been bailed to appear for sentencing on 24 February. A statement released by the #Heathrow13 following their convictions read: “Today’s judgement demonstrates that the legal system does not yet recognise that climate defence is not an offence. We took action because we saw that it was sorely needed. When the democratic, legislative and processes have failed, it takes the actions of ordinary people to change them.” They say instead of the government taking action to cut carbon emissions, it is intending to spend millions making the problem bigger, if another runway is allowed. Though the judge recognised “They are all principled people” she considered what the protesters did was “symbolic and designed to make a point, not to save lives”.
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