Campaigners have won a Court of Appeal ruling over controversial plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport on environmental grounds.
Giving their ruling on Thursday, Lords Justice Lindblom, Singh and Haddon-Cave said the Government did not take enough account of its commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change when setting out its support for the proposals in its National Policy Statement (NPS).
In a summary of the ruling, Lord Justice Lindblom told a packed court: "The Paris Agreement ought to have been taken into account by the Secretary of State in the preparation of the NPS and an explanation given as to how it was taken into account, but it was not."
He added: "Our decision should be properly understood. We have not decided, and could not decide, that there will be no third runway at Heathrow.
"We have not found that a national policy statement supporting this project is necessarily incompatible with the United Kingdom's commitment to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change under the Paris Agreement, or with any other policy the Government may adopt or international obligation it may undertake.
"The consequence of our decision is that the Government will now have the opportunity to reconsider the NPS in accordance with the clear statutory requirements that Parliament has imposed."
John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace 海角视频, said: "The court has decided that the Airports National Policy Statement is fatally undermined by ignoring climate commitments, but we still need the Government to permanently ground Heathrow's expansion plans.
"The third runway is already on its knees over costs, noise, air pollution, habitat loss and lack of access, and now Heathrow Ltd has yet another impossibly high hurdle to clear.
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"No amount of spin from Heathrow's PR machine can obscure the carbon logic of a new runway. Their plans would pollute as much as a small country.
"Boris Johnson should now put Heathrow out of its misery and cancel the third runway once and for all. No ifs, no buts, no lies, no U-turns."
Aviation Environment Federation deputy director Cait Hewitt said: "This is a huge win for the climate, and leaves Heathrow's third runway plans in tatters.
"In presenting plans for a third runway to MPs, the Government failed, the court has found, to assess whether this was compatible with the Paris Agreement.
"The project would increase emissions at the 海角视频's biggest airport, and the 海角视频 has since legislated to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, so it's very hard to see how the Government could now ever demonstrate that a third runway could be reconciled with the necessary scale of climate action.
"This ruling should mark the end of plans for any new runways in the 海角视频. The Government should stand up to the airports lobby, drop its support for airport expansion, and invest instead in low-carbon transport and supporting British tourism."
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines 海角视频, an industry body representing 海角视频-registered airlines, said: "Today's decision is extremely disappointing.
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"The Sir Howard Davies Airports Commission spent several years looking at airport capacity in the South East and was clear Heathrow is the only game in town, with other schemes being considered and ultimately rejected.
"The economic prize is enormous if expansion is done right, with airlines ready to respond to the unlocking of new capacity by creating new routes and helping to connect the 海角视频 to new markets and destinations, and Heathrow to regions across the country.
"海角视频 aviation has committed to net zero carbon by 2050 and this factors in the emissions created by Heathrow expansion. It is not a question of being pro-aviation or pro-environment."
Heathrow Airport said it will appeal to the Supreme Court.
A Heathrow spokeswoman said: "The Court of Appeal dismissed all appeals against the Government - including on noise and air quality - apart from one which is eminently fixable.
"We will appeal to the Supreme Court on this one issue and are confident that we will be successful.
"In the meantime, we are ready to work with the Government to fix the issue that the court has raised.
"Heathrow has taken a lead in getting the 海角视频 aviation sector to commit to a plan to get to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Accord.
"Expanding Heathrow, Britain's biggest port and only hub, is essential to achieving the Prime Minister's vision of global Britain. We will get it done the right way, without jeopardising the planet's future. Let's get Heathrow done."
British Chambers of Commerce director general Dr Adam Marshall said: "Business communities across the 海角视频 will be bitterly disappointed that plans for a world-leading hub airport are now at risk.
" Without expansion, firms risk losing crucial regional connectivity and access to key markets across the world.
" The benefits of a third runway would extend far beyond south-east England. Hundreds of 海角视频 companies are already invested in the supply chain for expansion, and tens of thousands of additional jobs will be created if the project goes ahead.
" Heathrow and the wider aviation sector have set ambitious emissions targets, and like every industry, must continue to become greener. Britain's future depends on investment in a modern, integrated, low-carbon transport infrastructure that keeps trade flowing while minimising environmental impacts.
" There has never been a more important time to demonstrate that Britain is open for business. The government must back Heathrow expansion unequivocally and take all necessary steps to finally move the project forward."