Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

But protesters who plan to disrupt Heathrow Airport with drones could face life behind bars, the Government has now warned.

Aviation minister Baroness Vere said: “Flying drones near an airport is a serious criminal offence and using drones to deliberately put people’s safety at risk carries a maximum life sentence.”

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

Drones

Airport security chiefs facing a drone protest by climate activists at Heathrow could struggle against a sustained attack, an expert has said.

Professor David Dunn, who recently spoke at Parliament about drone threats, said detaining suspects before a demonstration is able to take place could be the most effective measure.

Heathrow has military grade anti-drone technology, but that would be seriously tested if the airport is bombarded with a stream of devices in “waves”, he said.

Prof Dunn, a professor in international politics at the University of Birmingham, likened the threat by Extinction Rebellion to the drone incident at Gatwick Airport in December which affected roughly 140,000 passengers and 1,000 flights.

“Gatwick was probably two drones. But the underlying question is: What do you do if you have multiple drones, multiple directions, multiple wave incursions? They have not really got an answer for that,” he said.

“It depends how many there were, how coordinated they were and it would require a major police operation.”

The academic, who addressed an All Party Parliamentary Group on Armed Drones event in May, said any policing operation would be “very expensive and require a lot of manpower”.

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) has threatened to shut down Heathrow Airport for 10 days using drones if the Government does not cancel a planned expansion.

The environmental group, which brought London to a standstill for two weeks in April, said it will first stage a one-day protest on June 18.

It said if plans to expand Heathrow are not immediately scrapped the 10-day demonstration will begin on July 1. Holidaymakers were being given advance notice to “change travel plans”, the group added.

Flights

It is understood the plans to use drones are contained in a document shared between members of the group. Heathrow said the plan was “reckless” and could “endanger lives”.

A statement on the XR website said: “Extinction Rebellion demands the Government begins to act on its declaration of a Climate and Environment Emergency by cancelling all Heathrow expansion.

“On June 18, we plan to carry out nonviolent direct action to ensure Heathrow Authorities close the airport for the day, to create a ‘pause’ in recognition of the genocidal impact of high carbon activities, such as flying, upon the natural world.

“If the Government does not cancel all Heathrow expansion, Extinction Rebellion will act to shut the airport down for up to 10 days from July 1. Extinction Rebellion is in the consultancy stage with its members on the proposed action.”

Demonstrators also protested at Heathrow during the last round of protests in April but did not cause disruption to flights. A small group of mostly teenage activists briefly unfurled a banner near a tunnel which leads to Terminals 2 and 3 as several police officers watched on.

Family

The statement, published on Friday, added: “This is not about targeting the public, but holding the Government to their duty to take leadership on the climate and ecological emergency.

“The addition of the planned third runway would make Heathrow the single biggest carbon emitter in the UK – to expand the airport at this critical point in history would be madness.

“We understand the action will cause disruption to a great number of holidaymakers, however we believe that it is necessary given the prospect of far greater disruption caused by ecological and societal collapse, if we don’t act now.”

A Heathrow spokesman said: “This is reckless action that if carried out could endanger the lives of the travelling public and our colleagues.

“We agree with the need to act on climate change, but that requires us to work together constructively – not commit serious criminal offences just as hard-working people prepare to spend a well-earned holiday with their family and friends.”

This Author

Lewis Pennock is a reporter for the Press Association.

Leading climate scientists have called on Theresa May to swiftly put a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero into national law.

A group of experts have written to the Prime Minister urging her to enshrine a net zero target in law as an act of global leadership and a “worthy legacy” of her premiership.

The call comes after the Government’s climate advisers urged ministers to set a new legal target for a 100% cut in all greenhouse gases by mid-century as soon as possible, and to urgently ramp up efforts to cut emissions.

Target

Under the net zero target, emissions would have to be largely eliminated from electricity generation, transport and heating, the Committee on Climate Change said. Any remaining pollution by 2050 from areas including aviation would need to be offset through measures to capture carbon such as planting trees.

The move to net zero would be in line with commitments to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels under the international Paris Agreement, and would provide leadership for other countries on tackling climate change, the committee said.

In their letter to Mrs May – who has announced her resignation – the experts said the science was “unequivocal” that avoiding dangerous climate change means not just reducing carbon emissions but bringing them to net zero.

They pointed to the committee’s advice that a new net zero target could quickly be brought in through a statutory instrument amending the UK’s existing legal goal to cut greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050.

Signatories

They wrote: “To do so now would be to make a powerful statement of global leadership on climate change worthy of the tradition established by Mrs (Margaret) Thatcher 30 years ago when she became the first leader of a major nation to call for a United Nations climate change treaty.

“A net zero target is what science concludes is necessary to meet the Paris targets, and to set one in law swiftly, in line with the expert advice commissioned by your Government, is within your gift.

“To do so would be an act of global importance for future generations, and a worthy legacy.”

The letter’s signatories include emeritus professor Joanna Haigh from Imperial College London, Myles Allen from Oxford University, Sir Brian Hoskins, who chairs the Grantham Institute on Climate Change, and Professor Dame Julia Slingo.

Urgency

Prof Haigh said it was a question of seizing the day. “It’s such an important topic, we’ve all the scientific indicators that show something needs to be done, and it’s in the Conservative Party tradition going back to Margaret Thatcher.”

She said it could be an achievement of Mrs May’s premiership which would be great for the UK and set an example for the rest of the world.

A Government spokesman said: “We already lead the world in tackling climate change, being the first country to introduce long-term legally-binding carbon reduction targets and cutting emissions further than all other G20 countries.

“The Committee on Climate Change’s report now sets us on a path to become the first major economy to legislate to end our contribution to global warming entirely and we will respond in a timeframe which reflects the urgency of the issue.”

This Author

Emily Beament is the Press Association environment correspondent.