Moderately impecunious author of 3 books. Policy manager for Aviation Environment Federation. Clean air & school streets. Put down the phone & concentrate!
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Articles by Celeste Hicks
AEF says no to Heathrow expansion policy
8th October, 2026 The Department for Transport’s consultation on the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) ran through summer 2026. The consultation sought feedback on how effective the mitigations for the enormous environmental impacts of the scheme would be. AEF argued in no uncertain terms that the proposed “four tests” on climate, air pollution, noise pollution and nationwide economic growth were wholly inadequate to address the harm caused by expansion.
Heathrow expansion will cause enormous environmental impacts
6th July, 2026 The government has long said that the expansion must meet its four tests – these are: • that it contributes to economic growth across the country • that it meets our air quality obligations • that it is consistent with our noise commitments • and crucially, that it aligns with our legal obligations on climate change, including net zero The NGO community argued in this briefing that those tests were vague and could not guarantee that expansion could take place without...
Many more people bothered by aircraft noise than previously thought
Skip to content 11th June, 2026 The long-awaited Attitudes to Daytime Aircraft Noise Study (ANAS) and the Aviation Night-time Noise Effects (ANNE) study have just been published by the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport, on the eve of the publication of the draft Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) which could set the bar for noise policy for years to come.
Strive for highest sustainability standards in fuels, says AEF
16th April, 2026 The government has just concluded a consultation into the design of contracts to be awarded to fuel producers under the new Revenue Certainty Mechanism. The government support package is intended to be the final step in helping producers of fuels from waste (2nd generation) and synthetic fuels (3rd generation) get final investment decisions for their production facilities.
Don’t let crops in the SAF mandate, says AEF
20th March, 2026 Just one year into the operation of the UK’s SAF mandate, the government appears to have opened a door to the possible inclusion of crops as eligible feedstocks for alternative fuels. Although crop-based fuels have so far been excluded from the mandate due to real concerns about their true environmental impact, a recently concluded call for evidence asked whether crop-based feedstocks could be considered “sustainable”.
Government consultation on biomass sustainability - Aviation Environment Federation
3rd March, 2026 Photo credit: James Lo, Unsplash The UK government has just concluded a consultation on the design of new sustainability parameters for the use of biomass (crops and plant-matter) in economy-wide decarbonisation.
Closing the Gap: the case for a GGR mandate - Aviation Environment Federation
29th January, 2026 Almost every major roadmap that outlines how aviation could get to net zero by 2050 does so by including greenhouse gas removals (GGRs): that is, some mechanism that can take carbon out of the air and bury it permanently back under the ground, and in doing so equal and offset the residual fossil carbon emissions from planes. Indeed, the UK’s Jet Zero Strategy suggests that some 19 million tonnes of removals will be needed in 2050.
Government consults on a fuel supplier levy to support SAF roll-out - Aviation Environment Federation
12th January, 2026 In early 2025 the government introduced a Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) blending mandate. In order to scale up production of novel alternative fuels, producers had asked the government for a price certainty mechanism to support investment. The Department for Transport has recently consulted on principles for designing a levy on fuel suppliers, ensuring that the costs of the scheme are borne by industry. AEF submitted a response to the consultation.
Making aviation pay for greenhouse gas removals - Aviation Environment Federation
18th November, 2025 That aviation will have considerable residual emissions under a Net Zero future in 2050 has been acknowledged for a while. Estimates vary, but the volume required by 2050 is somewhere between 17 million and 21 million tonnes a year for UK aviation.
Giving wings to contrail mitigation: a template for international cooperation - Aviation Environment Federation
29th October, 2025 Contrails, or to give them their full title, condensation trails, are a regular sight in the skies over the UK, criss-crossing each other in the wake of aircraft flying at altitude. But while a contrail lit up by the setting sun may catch your eye, these contrail clouds, formed when aircraft pass through cool and saturated air, make a significant contribution to climate change.
Gatwick expansion green light: a disaster for communities - Aviation Environment Federation
22nd September, 2025 On 21 September 2025, Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport, approved expansion at Gatwick airport. AEF says that the decision puts the Government’s legally binding climate goals at risk and will bring more noise misery to local communities.
Hope or hype: Can SAF really justify airport expansion? - Aviation Environment Federation
4th September, 2025 “Sustainable” aviation fuels are often promoted as the answer to aviation’s decarbonisation problem, but they are not a magic bullet. Here we summarise 6 reasons why SAF won’t be sufficient to mitigate increased emissions from airport expansion. What are SAFs? Currently, the kerosene used to power most aircraft engines is made from fossil oils. “Sustainable” aviation fuels (or SAF) is a name given to fuels which use non-fossil based feedstocks.
Community interests should be front of centre of airspace modernisation policy - Aviation Environment Federation
8th April, 2025 In its recent response to the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) consultation on the establishment of a single authority to lead airspace modernisation in the UK, AEF expressed its disappointment that community and environmental stakeholders are not automatically represented at all levels in the governance structure, including on the UK Airspace Design Service (ADS) Advisory Board.
AEF argues that UK ETS revenues should not be used to compensate airlines - Aviation Environment Federation
20th March, 2025 The Department for Transport recently asked for views about implementing ICAO’s Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in the UK. The consultation sought views on draft secondary legislation that covers offsetting requirements, following the implementation of CORSIA’s monitoring, reporting and verification rules in UK law.
New polling shows that Parisians support higher parking charges for SUVs
A new poll released today by Clean Cities and Respire, and carried out by OpinionWay shows that 61% of Parisians support the idea of introducing parking charges based on the weight of vehicles, a figure which climbs to 70% if a number of conditions are met (ensuring the money is reinvested in improving mobility in Paris, exemption of residents’ parking etc).
Potential “Red Sea” War between Ethiopia and Eritrea: A Three-level Analysis
Debating Ideas reflects the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It offers debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books. It is edited and managed by the International African Institute, hosted at SOAS University of London, the owners of the book series of the same name.
Our new ranking of 42 cities' progress on shared and zero-emissions transport
The Clean Cities Campaign (CCC) has ranked 42 European cities on their efforts to introduce shared and zero-emission transport options. And there were some surprises. Beyond the usual strong performers like Copenhagen, Oslo and Amsterdam, cities doing well include Ljubljana, Budapest and Milan.
African Arguments
Sonko’s legal problems, which appear engineered to frustrate his presidential bid, could well push the country back into the street. On May 8, 2023, a Dakar appeal court found Ousmane Sonko, the most vocal opponent to President Macky Sall’s regime, guilty of defamation and public insult, thus seriously jeopardizing his chance to run for the 2024 presidential election.
One Book at a Time
One Book at a Time One Book at a Time is a podcast with the aim of encouraging people to slow down and consider important social issues and histories. A university press book is packed full of carefully considered arguments, frontline thinking, and original voices. We hope the podcast offers a similar experience, the intellectual equivalent of exercising your brain in the open air, rather than the 100-metre mad dash of internet skimming.
EU’s clean air proposals a good first step, but must go further
The Clean Cities Campaign welcomes today’s publication by the European Commission of the proposed revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive (AAQD) as a step in the right direction. The AAQD proposal rightly includes tougher air pollution limits and stricter monitoring requirements to tackle our toxic air. However, we believe the Commission has missed an opportunity to align limits for concentration of pollutants with the WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines.
Large-scale agricultural projects are not working for Africa
Big farming investments reduce local food security and erode trust. They need a fundamental rethink. In recent weeks, observers and officials have described the first grain ship to leave Ukraine since Russia’s invasion as a “beacon of hope” and celebrated the G7’s promise to spend $4.5 billion to address global hunger. They hope these actions will help address food insecurity, which has increased due to the war in Ukraine and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Simplifying peacemaking in a complex world
Three former heads of state of Nigeria, South Africa, and Ethiopia reflect on what it takes to end conflict in a meaningful way. In the wake of the Cold War, the disintegration of an ideologically bipolar world provided an opportunity for peace agreements across the globe. This was even the case in seemingly intractable conflicts like Nicaragua, El Salvador, Namibia, and South Africa. From that era, three key ingredients for successful peacemaking and mediation stand out.
Africa Elections 2022: All the upcoming votes
A regularly updated list and interactive map of the upcoming elections in Africa in 2022. Last updated: 1 June 2022 How to use the map This Africa elections map shows you all the upcoming votes. Move around and click to find out more. The colour tells you approximately when the election is: Red – This month Orange – Next month Yellow – In two months Green – Beyond that The icon tells you who is up for election: Upcoming Africa elections: A list Here are the upcoming elections in list form.
author talk: Expansion Rebellion by Celeste Hicks — October Books
Saturday 11th June in the shop - 11am - author talk - free entry Please register via Eventbrite if you wish to attend so we know how many people to expect. Join Celeste Hicks in the shop to hear a story of hope in the face of widespread consternation over the global climate crisis This is a story of hope in the face of widespread consternation over the global climate crisis.
What is the legacy of #EndSARS?
“We owe the dead the debt of memory.” Protests at an #EndSARS rally in October 2020. Credit: Ayanfe Olurinde / Unsplash. A little past 9pm on 21 September 2021, Salako Pelumi and his friend John, both students of the University of Ilorin, were accosted by members of the F-Division, a unit of the Nigerian Police Force, in Kwara State. The officers’ searched their phones. When they found nothing incriminating, they carted them to a police station in an unmarked van.
Africa: Publishing the Trial of Hissène Habré
Debating Ideas is a new section that aims to reflect the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It will offer debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books.
Publishing the Trial of Hissène Habré
Debating Ideas is a new section that aims to reflect the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It will offer debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books.
African Arguments
Ethiopia’s democratic transition was already precarious. Two developments have made it even more uncertain. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (left) with President Paul Kagame (right) in February 2020. Credit: Paul Kagame. When Abiy Ahmed became Ethiopia’s prime minister in April 2018, his arrival was greeted with a collective sigh of relief both in Ethiopia and abroad. The new leader was seen as a reformer who would change the course of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).
African Arguments
Debating Ideas is a new section that aims to reflect the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It will offer debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books.
Coronavirus in Africa Tracker: How many covid-19 cases & where? [Latest]
Read all our COVID-19 coverage Confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa: 141,804 Recovered: 59,492 Confirmed coronavirus deaths: 4,071 Last updated: 31 May 09:45 GMT. Source: Africa CDC; Johns Hopkins; NCoVAfrica. See all of our COVID-19 coverage here.
Between Friendship and Enmity: US-Sudan Relations in the Time of Covid-19
Debating Ideas is a new section that aims to reflect the values and editorial ethos of the African Arguments book series, publishing engaged, often radical, scholarship, original and activist writing from within the African continent and beyond. It will offer debates and engagements, contexts and controversies, and reviews and responses flowing from the African Arguments books. 2019 Protests in Khartoum, Sudan that removed AlBashir Dictatorship.
Africa Elections: All the upcoming votes
How to use the map: the basics This Africa elections map shows you all the upcoming votes. Move around and click to find out more. The colour tells you approximately when the election is: Red – This month Orange – Next month Yellow – In two months Green – Beyond that The icon tells you who is up for election: Want much more in-depth information about the elections? The map just gives you the basic info.
African Arguments
African Arguments is published in association with the International Africa Institute, the Royal African Society and the World Peace Foundation. Written by experts with an unrivalled knowledge of the continent, African Arguments is a series of concise, engaging books that address the key issues currently facing Africa.
Nigeria: Survey shows decrease in homophobic attitudes. Kind of.
Some findings show progress. Others paint a more complex picture. Last month, Nigeria’s most popular gossip blog Linda Ikeji republished a post from the Facebook account of a Nigerian lawyer. The post was a personal reflection and by publishing it, she outed him. This isn’t the first time the blog has compromised LGBTQI persons in this way even though Nigeria is intensely homophobic. Homophobia is enshrined in our religious doctrines and laws.
A Blueprint for African Tyrants
When Chad’s former president Hissene Habré finally appeared before the judges at the Extraordinary African Chambers (EAC) in Dakar in July 2015, twenty-five years after fleeing into exile in Senegal, the relief for his victims was overwhelming: “To see someone who hurt me that much in front of a court, it has changed everything,” Clement Abaifouta, one of the leading campaigners for justice, told me.
The Trial of Hissene Habré: How the People of Chad brought a tyrant to justice
Tyrants can commit human rights abuses and sexual violence with impunity. But, some people are bringing such tyrants to justice. How are they doing it? Drawing from her book, The Trial of Hissene Habré: How the People of Chad brought a tyrant to justice, Celeste Hicks highlights what countries like the Gambia can learn from the trial of Hissene Habré.
Eritrea and Ethiopia: A year of peace, a year of dashed hopes
Since the historic accord last year, the border has closed again and little has changed. Patience among Eritreans is wearing thin. Eritrea and Ethiopia. Credit: Fitsum Arega. A year ago today, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in the Eritrea capital of Asmara. Eritreans lined the streets, ecstatic to greet the leader of the country with whom they had been locked in conflict for two decades. It was a truly landmark visit, ending years of hostility.
Tropical storms: how climate change is hurting Mozambique | Friends of the Earth
Cyclone Idai has destroyed lives. Thousands are feared dead. Survivors are our 1st priority says Anabela Lemos. But then we put climate change in the dock. Published: 22 Mar 2019 | 3 minute read Anabela Lemos is the director of Justiça Ambiental, Friends of the Earth's sister organisation in Mozambique. "We've heard reports that 90% of the central port town of Beira has been destroyed. "Although our office is in the south in the capital Maputo, we all have friends and family around Beira.
African Arguments
Insiders say President Isaias is now ruling largely unilaterally, keeping the public, military leaders, and even ministers out of the loop. The lack of information about President Isaias’ plans as Eritrea undergoes a period a change is making many nervous. Credit: Sailing Nomad. Eritrea’s life-president Isaias Afwerki could hardly have had a busier 2018. This year, he has signed an historic peace deal with Ethiopia. He has built close relations with the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Why roadbuilding pauses for whooper swans at Lough Beg | Friends of the Earth
Chris Murphy is anxiously awaiting the arrival of migrating whooper swans at Lough Beg, Northern Ireland. Will they be disturbed by the building of a new road? Chris Murphy refuses to be downbeat when he thinks about Lough Beg in County Derry/Londonderry. Behind wire netting, bulldozers have eaten an enormous hole into the side of Aughrim Hill. On the floodplains of the lough, a thick muddy trail runs right through what last year was a prime winter feeding ground for whooper swans.
Africa: Seeking Justice - Why Jammeh's Days Are Numbered
analysis By Celeste HicksThe Gambia may not be ready yet. But it's only a matter of time until the conditions are right to prosecute former president Jammeh. If The Gambia's former president Yahya Jammeh thought he could escape to a quiet exile in Equatorial Guinea, he may have underestimated the determination of his compatriots. His 22-year rule was marked by alleged disappearances, extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detention.
African Arguments
If The Gambia’s former president Yahya Jammeh thought he could escape to a quiet exile in Equatorial Guinea, he may have underestimated the determination of his compatriots. His 22-year rule was marked by alleged disappearances, extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detention. And since early-2017, when Adama Barrow took over as president, there have been public calls for senior figures in the previous government to be prosecuted.
The Trial of Hissène Habré
Synopsis When Hissène Habré, the deposed dictator of Chad, was found guilty of crimes against humanity in 2016, it was described as 'a watershed for human rights justice in Africa and beyond'. For the first time, an African war criminal had been convicted on African soil. Having followed the trial from the very beginning and interviewed many of those involved, journalist Celeste Hicks tells the remarkable story of how Habré was brought to justice.
Ethiopia: The relentless protests that forced the Prime Minister to resign - African Arguments
Hailemariam Desalegn has announced his resignation as Ethiopia’s Prime Minister and chair of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). According to some analysts, the prime minister since 2012 was expected to step down at the EPRDF congress scheduled for later this year, but today’s move came as a surprise. Desalegn said he would formally step down once a successor is chosen and claimed his departure was part of the government’s attempts to change how it operates.
The Trial of Hissène Habré
Back — The Trial of Hissène Habré — £ $ £ $ How the People of Chad Brought a Tyrant to Justice Celeste Hicks The extraordinary story of how one of Africa's most notorious tyrants was finally brought to justice. Overview Author Bio Table of Contents Reviews Details Description When Hissène Habré, the deposed dictator of Chad, was found guilty of crimes against humanity in 2016, it was described as ‘a watershed for human rights justice in Africa and beyond’.
Morocco: A safe space for girls to learn
By Celeste Hicks in Rabat, additional reporting by Nicholas Norbrook Since 2005, a network of boarding houses is enabling a new generation of female students to get access to education by assuaging parents’ concerns about rural girls studying far away from home The creation of girls’ dormitories in rural areas across Morocco is giving female students new opportunities to learn. “I feel safe here.
Burundi’s newest, biggest rebel group - African Arguments
On 27 August, Burundian rebel leader Major General Jérémie Ntiranyibagira announced the reorganisation of the militant group, the Republican Forces of Burundi (Forebu). Via a recorded statement, he declared a name change to the Popular Forces of Burundi (FPB) and called on other rebels opposed to the government of President Pierre Nkurunziza to join them. The FPB’s leadership retains Ntiranyibagira and Lt. Col. Edouard Nshimirimana, who continues as second-in-command and de facto day-to-day leader.
Peter Pham: President Trump's perfect pick for top Africa post? - African Arguments
If Donald Trump has a to-do list and Africa is on it, it must come a long way down. It is seemingly impossible to find anyone on his team that has an interest in the continent. And the crucial position of Assistant Secretary of State for Africa remains empty, though perhaps not for much longer. Over six months into his administration, there are growing noises suggesting the US president may finally be ready to put forward a name for the government’s top Africa post. J.
Montreal: the latest hotspot for Africa’s rulers to keep their wealth?
A new African Arguments investigation has found that politically-exposed African nationals hold Canadian real estate worth several millions of dollars. The study, conducted in partnership with the Journal de Montréal and Le Monde Afrique, reveals over a dozen individuals who have invested nearly $26 million in Canadian real estate, often without a mortgage. The source of the funds used to buy these properties could be legitimate.
Nigeria: How to solve a problem like Biafra - African Arguments
50 years after Nigeria’s then Eastern Region declared itself the Republic of Biafra, sparking a brutal and costly three-year civil war, the country again faces a separatist challenge. Across the Igbo south east, there is resurgent agitation for an independent Biafra state. President Muhammadu Buhari’s forceful response to the agitation has been counter-productive, inflaming passions and boosting separatist sentiments. The government needs to change course and prioritise dialogue over coercion.
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