AIRPORT EXPANSION & CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity.

Indeed, according to the latest science, “Recent greenhouse gas emissions place the Earth perilously close to dramatic climate change that could run out of control” with calamitous results (Hansen et al, “Climate Change and Trace Gases”, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, 18 May 2007). Control of these gases must “play a critical role in preserving a planet resembling the one in which civilisation developed”

If nothing is done to halt airport growth then aviation will overwhelm all other cuts in UK emissions, helping make catastrophic climate change inevitable. Nonetheless, the aviation industry is pushing to almost double Heathrow’s capacity by increasing flights and building a third runway.

For more background see George Monbiot’s articles for the Guardian: ‘On the flight to global meltdown‘, and ‘Preparing for Take-Off‘.

HEATHROW TERMINAL FIVE

Heathrow Terminal 5 will open to passengers on 27th March. It is the biggest terminal ever built in the UK, and has been fiercely opposed by local people, environmentalists and the local authorities. It was also the subject of the longest Public Inquiry in British history, lasting almost four years.

The Government has been consulting on plans for a 3rd runway and a significant increase in flights numbers on the existing two runways. All this is part of a 30 year national programme to cater for a trebling in the number of passengers using UK airports. Terminal Five is the most visibly symbol of this deeply unsustainable policy.

For more background see www.hacan.org.uk, www.stopheathrow.org and www.notrag.org.