Friends of the Earth - Tell Rachel Reeves: don’t put plane profits before planet. Sign our petition.

 

From Friends of the Earth

BREAKING: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has given the green light to airport expansion while we're in a climate emergency. 

Expanding airports like Heathrow won’t do much, if anything, for the communities that need growth the most. Instead, benefits will be enjoyed by shareholders and the wealthiest few who fly frequently.  

Airport expansions mean more subsidies for a heavily polluting industry - when we desperately need to be doing all we can to reduce emissions. Greenlighting a third runway at Heathrow alone could jeopardise the UK’s ability to meet our climate promises and put us all at risk of more extreme weather. 

Add your name now to this petition to demand no more airport expansion while we’re in a climate emergency. LINK

Rachel Reeves' statement that growth trumps everything is the short-sighted kind of thinking that has led to the climate crisis. And the growth that would come from expanding airports like Heathrow is questionable.

• Airport expansion doesn’t make flying cheaper. According to the Treasury’s own analysis, the costs of expanding Heathrow airport could add £40 to the cost of an airline ticket.
• More money leaves the UK from outbound flights than is spent by incoming tourists. Tourism spending is concentrated in London and a few hotspots, with little benefit elsewhere.
• Emissions from flights are growing while the aviation industry receives at least £10 billion in subsidies annually, due to tax breaks on fuel. This costs taxpayers and allows the sector to pollute without meeting climate targets. And the burden of climate action is shifted onto other sectors.
• Analysis by the New Economics Foundation shows that if expansions at 4 UK airports including Heathrow are allowed to go ahead, they will cancel out the carbon savings of this government’s clean power plan in just 5 years.

 

Rather than planning to trample over nature protection rules and binding carbon reduction targets, the government should be investing in a bold and fair climate plan. A plan that means we can all benefit from cheap energy, widespread public transport, thriving nature and well-paid green jobs.

 

Good turnout for show of solidarity with Heathrow 13 in Willesden today

There was a great spirit of comradeship, vitality and determination at the Plane Stupid solidarity demonstration this morning at Willesden Magistrates Court where the Heathrow 13 are currently appearing.

Independent local environmental campaigners

Green Party leader Natalie Bennett, deputy leader Shahrar Ali and other Green Party activists

LORDS ECONOMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO QUESTION SIR HOWARD DAVIES ON AIRPORT COMMISSION FINDINGS

The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will next week hold a one-off evidence session with Sir Howard Davies, Chairman of the Airports Commission, following the recent publication of the Commission’s report.

The session, which will be Sir Howard’s first appearance in front of a Parliamentary Committee since the publication of the report, will focus on the Commission’s economic modelling which used a bespoke model rather than the traditional method of undertaking aviation transport appraisals which consider the direct impact of a scheme on users, providers and government revenue.

Questions the Committee are expected to put to Sir Howard include:

• How confident was the Commission that there is sustained demand for additional runway capacity at Heathrow?
• Can the UK meet its climate change obligations at the same time as increasing aviation?
• Given that the Commission’s own calculations estimate that the return on investment for a new runway at Heathrow is 8x investment and Gatwick’s is 13x investment why did the Commission recommend Heathrow as the preferred option?
• Why was the Commission so confident that an expanded Gatwick could not serve as a hub airport?
• Given that many other hub airports have four runways why is the Commission asking the Government to block Heathrow at three?
• How will a ban on night flights work with the aspiration for more long haul flights particularly flights from Asia? Can the local community be confident the ban will be maintained?

The evidence session will start at 4:05pm on Wednesday 15 July in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords.

The evidence session is open to the public. If you wish to attend you should go to Parliament’s Cromwell Green Entrance and allow time for security screening,