19 November 2010 | Statement

Commenting on Newham Council's decision to expand London City Airport and this week's high court challenge against it by London residents' group Fight the Flights ClientEarth environmental lawyer Alan Andrews said:
 
“The decision to drop a third runway at Heathrow was an important victory for the environment, but it would be crazy to simply move the air pollution, noise and carbon emissions eastwards. It's like saving a section of rainforest in Brazil only to see another section cut down in Indonesia.
 
“This is why it is so important that communities can defend their right to a clean and healthy environment before the courts.”

ClientEarth is an organisation of environmental lawyers working in the public interest. Our CleanAir project is using the law to bring London's air quality in line with legal standards.

ENDS

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Notes to editors: ClientEarth is a non-profit environmental law organisation based in London, Brussels and Warsaw. We are lawyers working at the interface of law, science and policy.  Using the power of the law, we develop legal strategies and tools to address major environmental issues. As legal experts working in the public interest, we act to strengthen the work of our partners - both governments and NGOs. www.clientearth.org