Aviation collision course

Aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide in both the UK and the world. The Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University has warned that it will be impossible to meet the UK‘s "60% carbon reduction by 2050" climate target without curbing aviation growth.

Nevertheless Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander has endorsed the conclusions of the December 2003 Aviation White Paper which noted that aviation accounted for two percent of Britain's economy and proposed building four new runways to meet demand. Two would be around the Greater London region, one in central England and one in Scotland.

Friends of the Earth said that it was becoming increasingly clear that the Government lacked the political courage to cut UK carbon dioxide emissions. According to aviation campaigner Richard Dyer “UK aviation policy is on a climate change collision course. But despite repeated and increasingly loud warnings about the impact of building new runways, Douglas Alexander has refused to alter direction .....

“Despite promises of significant cuts, carbon dioxide emissions have risen under Labour. This is why the proposed new law on climate change must require annual cuts in emissions. Furthermore, Government targets must include UK international aviation and shipping emissions too.“

A Friends of the Earth briefing on aviation and climate change can be found at:
www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/alexanders_first_test.pdf (PDF†)

December 2006