Road to 5**：Heathrow Airport's third runway expansion plan
【明報專訊】◆News summary
On 27 February 2020, the British Court of Appeal ruled that the third runway expansion plan of London Heathrow Airport was in violation of the Paris Agreement. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was a long-standing opponent of the plan, and his government stated that it would not appeal to a higher court. It is expected that the government will either amend the related policies or abandon the plan altogether. Heathrow Airport has stated that it will appeal to the Supreme Court.
◆Source A
This adjudication is regarded as a major victory for environmentalists and local governments, and it is also the first in the world to be based on the Paris Agreement. According to The Guardian, the results of this case will encourage environmentalists in the United Kingdom or elsewhere to challenge other projects with high carbon emissions. The Department for Transport will need to outline new policies if they are to continue with the expansion plan, but related departments have yet to issue further statements.
In 2015, the United Nations formulated the Paris Agreement during the United Nations Climate Change Conference with the objective of restricting greenhouse gas emissions. The core articles in the Paris Agreement are legally binding; others, such as ''intended nationally determined contributions'' (INDCs), are not.
Data source: Ming Pao, 2020.03.03
■Mock examination question
''International cooperation is the most effective way to promote sustainable development.'' Do you agree with this statement?
•The word ''most'' means that the question suggests students determine what to compare, as well as the criteria for assessment such as how timely, targeted, cost-effective and feasible they are.
◆Agree:
•Set goals that specifically target relevant issues
International cooperation helps to set transnational goals that target relevant issues, which is beneficial to the world's sustainable development. In contrast, local governments can only obtain limited amounts of information and resources, resulting in difficulties in promoting transnational measures and goals that specifically target relevant global issues.
•Allows more comprehensive promotion of sustainable development
International organizations have a better understanding of the current circumstances of each country, which allows them to promote sustainable development more comprehensively. In 2015, the United Nations formulated the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 associated goals. In contrast, due to geographical locations and limited resources, local organizations can only deal with issues more specific to their local environment.
◆Disagree:
•Some international agreements are not legally binding
Agreements regarding sustainable development formulated by international organizations, such as the Paris Agreement, may not be legally binding. On the contrary, sustainable development would be more achievable if individual countries enacted domestic laws that targeted specific local issues.
•National interests outweigh international interests
Although some countries have signed international agreements that promote sustainable development, local governments tend to prioritise national interests when conflicts over international interests arise. Donald Trump, the US President, withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement after taking office, yet the United States is the country with the second highest level of carbon emissions, so this action will affect international sustainable development.
Translated by Odyssey Lang
[通通識 第674期]
