RSPB email action to write to Sir Howard Davies, to remind him not to forget biodiversity, habitat and climate
The RSPB had an email action, to ask people to write to Sir Howard Davies, the Chairman of the Airports Commission, to remind him of the biodiversity, habitat and climate change implications of his committee’s decisions on airports. Proposals to build new airports or expand existing ones could have devastating impacts on some of our most vulnerable wildlife and habitats, and our ability to tackle climate change. The Thames estuary is under threat from airport development, and is a globally recognised and protected area as it is a vital home for wildlife, including hundreds of thousands of wintering wildfowl and wading birds. Climate change is the greatest threat to wildlife and biodiversity, and carbon emissions from aviation are increasing rapidly. The RSPB believes there should be no further aviation expansion unless the Government can demonstrate how such expansion can take place within the UK’s legally binding climate change limits. The email action closed at the end of September, at the closing date for submissions.
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Help defend our environment and climate
RSPB – (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)
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Proposals to build new airports or expand existing ones could have devastating impacts on some of our most vulnerable wildlife and habitats, and our ability to tackle climate change.
Even the spectacular Thames Estuary is under threat again. The estuary is globally recognised and protected because it is a vital home for wildlife, including hundreds of thousands of wintering wildfowl and wading birds, and since the end of World War II a series of airport proposals have all been rejected on a combination of business, aviation, safety and environmental grounds.
Climate change is the greatest threat to wildlife and biodiversity, and carbon emissions from aviation are increasing rapidly. We believe there should be no further aviation expansion unless the Government can demonstrate how such expansion can take place within the UK’s legally binding climate change limits.
However, the Government seems determined to push forward major projects like these and last year set up an independent Commission to review aviation expansion and airport capacity. Whilst the Commission has been impartial and objective so far, some of the proposals they have received are very worrying, with far-reaching impacts on our nature and climate.
The Commission are now calling for comments on the proposals so we have a brief window of opportunity to encourage them to take our wildlife and environment into consideration as they draw up their short-list.
Help defend nature by emailing the Commission today.
Email Sir Howard Davies, Chair of the Airports Commission, from the RSPB website at
https://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=13&ea.campaign.id=13520
Your message
To help you the RSPB have prepared a template email to the Airports Commission, which is chaired by Sir Howard Davies – you can personalise both the subject line and message itself to help increase its impact.
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Sir Howard Davies
Airports Commission
Subject
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Dear Sir Howard
I was pleased to hear your announcement that the Airports Commission is taking into consideration the effect of aviation expansion on our environment and climate in short-listing the aviation proposals you have received.
I am, however, particularly concerned about the number of proposals submitted that would have a devastating impact on vulnerable wildlife and habitats. In particular those proposals for the Thames estuary, a coastal wetland of such international importance that it has the highest level of protection possible, yet is still under considerable threat of development.
I am equally concerned that any airport expansion risks the UK’s ability to meet its legally-binding climate change commitments because of the significant additional carbon emissions it would generate.
I urge you to keep these issues at the heart of your short-listing decisions.
Yours sincerely
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Help defend nature by emailing the Commission today.
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