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Sign of the Times - The battle over Heathrow
By Ciaran Mundy | January 12, 2009
Whilst thumbing through the Times today I came across a full page advert that stopped me in my tracks. No doubt placed in part to coincide with the protests against a third runway being held at Heathrow. Tackling climate change is again and again referred to as the single most important issue to face mankind. . . . . oh, except for re-floating the credit fueled growth economy (or was that vested interests queueing for government handouts and and an easy ride for otherwise nonsensical developments?). . . . at least that is according to the Future Heathrow campaign, as seen in the Times. A campaign that directly contradicts recent editorial in the very same broadsheet. This well financed group purports to represent a host of trade unions, the CBI, the British chambers of Commerce and London First, amongst others. They are running a high profile advertising campaign extolling the virtues of aviation for jobs and growth. Well in these difficult and stressful times woe betide anyone who thinks past short term, panic decisions, to ape business as usual activities. As they see it a third runway at Heathrow is essential to maintain London’s competitiveness in a growing avaition sector. Whilst even Future Heathrow freely acknowledge that emissions will outstrip any efficiency gains, there is no further explanation as to how the UK could arrive at a meaningful reductions target without reducing air traffic.
Even under the conservative 80% reductions target, the bare minimum required to avoid runaway and catastrophic climate change, industry and government figures mean that the predicted growth in aviation would account for well over 50% of the total CO2 emissions for the whole of the UK economy! As we have discussed before on LowFlyZone, this is patent nonsense. Add to this the mounting scientific evidence that the already changing natural world is less able to absorb CO2 emissions than historically was the case and the folly of such short sighted development is clear.
If, alternatively, the UK commits to developing genuine, low or zero carbon modes of transport, communications, then we may just start to build a truly sustainable economy. Not only that but the evidence that tackling these issues could improve the well being of the majority of people is, I believe, compelling.
Time for government, unions and business leaders to get their collective heads out of the credit crunch sand and think about the longer term future, or this recession we are starting to feel will seem like a walk in the park.
Topics: Aviation Industry, Avoid Flying, Business Travel, CO2 emissions, Offsetting Air Travel Emissions, Topical, Uncategorised, well-being |
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