Heathrow third runway unlawful, says Friends of the Earth

Environment groups, councils and London mayor challenge airport expansion in high court

The decision to expand Heathrow airport with a third runway was unlawful because it failed to consider the full impacts of climate change and the need for more stringent targets to avoid catastrophic global warming, the high court has been told.

Friends of the Earth on Wednesday accused the transport secretary, Chris Grayling, of acting unlawfully when he agreed to the expansion, which is contained in the government's airports national policy statement.