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AirportWatch Campaign Action

Some suggestions for practical actions:    
 
  Follow AirportWatch on Twitter
 
 
 
Heathrow - Judicial Review
Start date now Tuesday 23rd February
 
at the High Court in the Strand, London. 
 
Be there for the photo call at 9am. 
 
Bring banners and placards of support !      More info on the Judicial Review
 
The legal challenge is against the Government over its decision in January 2009 to give BAA permission to draw up detailed plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport. 
 
 
 
 

Greenpeace  - email action 

Act Now - Change the Future   World leaders walked away from the global summit in Copenhagen without a treaty that will save the climate. The US, EU and Australia put short-term national interests before the fate of our planet. Together, we must let leaders know that we expect nothing less than an effective agreement.
 
Send an email to   Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, (Prime Minister of Australia) and José Manuel Barroso, (President of the European Commission)
 
 
 
 
Tell your MP to change the politics and save the climate
 
 
Greenpeace, 55 of whose activists climbed the Houses of Parliament on 11th October, as asking everyone to write to their MP, in their own words, to ask them to take steps to quickly cut the UK's carbon emissions. Take action.
They have issued a climate manifesto with 12 simple steps our policians could take.
 
 
 
 
Check out Skeptical Science ...
 
... a really useful website which lists almost all the possible arguments used by climate sceptics, and tried to counter them with the current scientific position.
 
Skeptic Arguments and What the Science Says
 
For example:
 
 
 and  79 others.
 
 
 
 
 
"Boris Island" airport  in the Thames Estuary - petition
 
London Mayor Boris Johnson is still keen to push on with plans for this crazy scheme, for a massive 5 runway airport on recaimed land.  It would have serious consequences for wildlife and ruin irreplaceable habitat for migrating birds.  Suitable substitute areas are not available for them. People in north Kent are very worried about the dreadful prospect of a mega-airport on their doorstep, so Medway Council and Kent County Council have started a campaign to get opposition to any plans to build this monster.  It is not a matter of either expanding Heathrow, or having Boris Island, or indeed having any other runways at London airports.  They should all be opposed, strenuously.

Sign the petition against the airport at Stop Estuary Airport petition

See the RSPB statement on the proposed airport

And the Stop the Estuary Airport campaign   http://sites.medway.gov.uk/airport/
 
 
 
 
 
 
38 Degrees - Bailed-Out Banks email action
 
 Sign the on-line petition to ask Alistair Darling to:
 
- Stop investing in projects and companies that destroy the environment, fail to uphold human rights, or support oppressive regimes.
- Set and publish targets for reducing climate emissions that result from lending to fossil fuel projects and companies.
- Prioritise lending to low-carbon companies, technologies and infrastructure. 
 
Airport developments generally only happen with borrowed money, so geting the bailed out banks to stop lending to such climate-damaging projects is vital.
 
 
 
 
Sign the Manston (Kent International) Airport
Night Flights petition:
 

"We, the undersigned, object to any night flights (11pm to 7am) into or out of Manston."
 
Manston Airport is owned by Infratil, a New Zealand-based multi-national. Their long-standing 'S106' agreement with Thanet District Council bans all scheduled night flights in the 8 hours between 11pm and 7am.   Infratil now want to change that, and recently asked TDC for permission to start scheduling night flights.

The noise from any flights in the 8 hours between 11pm and 7am is far more intrusive and disruptive than at any other time of day.  Night flights would reduce the quality of life for everyone within earshot of the flightpath. The runway ends less than a mile from the edge of Ramsgate, so thousands of homes are seriously overflown. 
 
See   http://planesoverhernebay.blogspot.com/   for more info.
 
 
 
 
Sign up to the 10:10 campaign
 
Cutting 10% of emissions in 2010.
 
A new campaign, set up on 1st September, by Fanny Armstrong (maker of "The Age of Stupid".
 
Please join 10:10 now. By committing to cut your emissions by 10% in 2010, you will join thousands of individuals, schools, hospitals, businesses and organisations all actively helping to combat climate change by making simple changes to their lifestyles, homes and workplaces. More importantly, your voice will help to put pressure on the politicians to cut Britain’s emissions as quickly as the science demands. If we in the UK can prove that fast, deep cuts can be made at a national level, then we may just inspire all the other big polluting countries to follow suit.
 
 
Cutting out - or cutting down on - flights is a key way to cut carbon emissions.
 
 
 
European Commission must stop funding aviation biofuel development
 
Send them a letter:

Agrofuels could be used in aircraft within the next 1-5 years, creating yet another market which will cause more climate change, deforestation, evictions and hunger.  For the aviation industry, this is another way to continue unsustainable and highly damaging growth – at the expense of climate, communities and biodiversity.  The European Commission is supporting the industry’s endeavours by funding a study at a cost of 5.1 million Euros.  That study is expected to devise a ‘road map’ for the deployment of ‘alternative aviation fuels’, primarily agrofuels and to inform policy makers.  The study is entirely carried out by industry and research establishments with industry links, without any civil society representation at all.  In short, the industry is getting EU funding to devise an aviation biofuels roadmap for themselves and for policy makers. 

Please tell the European Commission to stop funding industry research and development of aviation biofuels and to instead support sustainable transport policies which will reduce the demand for aviation and stop and reverse aviation growth.

To sign a letter to the European Commission, please go to

http://www.regenwald.org/international/englisch/index.php

 
 
 

This one is not aviation-related, but it is important on climate change:

Join The Big If

The proposed new dirty coal power station at Kingsnorth in Kent could by itself be responsible for:

  •  More than 20,000 people being forced from their homes as climate refugees
  • 100,000 people losing their dry season water supply due to glaciers melting
  • 50,000 people being at risk of hunger due to drought and lower crop yields

Letting this happen would completely undermine the UK’s targets on climate change, and mean we have no credibility at crucial international climate talks in Copenhagen. And yet, climate change minister Ed Miliband is still considering saying yes to a new dirty coal power station at Kingsnorth in Kent, which could pave the way for even more coal power stations across the country. 

Tell Ed Miliband what you will do if he commits us to years of high emissions and climate catastrophe by allowing a dirty coal power station at Kingsnorth.

Take action: Take the Big IF pledge and say no to new coal
 
 
 
Businesses - join the WWF "One in Five" Challenge, to cut flights
 
WWF's report, Travelling Light, has found that there is great potential for businesses to fly less while remaining productive. There are many good reasons why businesses are now flying less and making greater use of audio and videoconferencing. 

If you think your business would be interested in taking up the One in Five Challenge, or if you would like to find out more, please contact us at oneinfive@wwf.org.uk

 
More details at One in Five Challenge
 
 
 
 
Heathrow:   Join the AirPlot!
 
                    
 
Join the Greenpeace "Airplot" - to become a beneficial owner of their patch of land in Sipson.  No payment needed.  Just sign up. 
Details on the the new Airplot website.   You can also subscribe to the list to get updates about the plot.
 
Greenpeace say: "We have four legal owners on the deeds: Oscar winning actress Emma Thompson, comedian Alistair McGowan and prospective Tory parliamentary candidate Zac Goldsmith and Greenpeace UK.  That's the maximum number of owners we can put on the deeds, but we're inviting everyone to join the plot as a beneficial owner and stand beside us to resist all attempts to build the runway."   There are now over 50,000 beneficial owners ...... and the number keeps  on growing.
 
 
 
Stansted:
 
Send an email or letter to the Planning Inspectorate saying why you are opposed to the plans marked 'Second Runway'.  Two lines or two hundred – it's up to you.
Planning Inspectorate, 4/02 Kite Wing, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN

Tel: 0117 372 8453 Fax: 0117 372 8766.  
Email:
StanstedG2Inquiry@pins.gsi.gov.uk 
 
 
 
 

Campaign for lower train fares

Campaign for Better Transport are fighting to bring train fares down.

Sign up to the campaign, for montly updates and CBT will send you quick campaigning actions once a month that will put pressure on politicians to lower train fares.
 

http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/train-fares

 
 
Write to your newly elected councilor or MEP
With the elections in early June, now’s a good time to write to your new MEP or county councillor to let them know what your transport priorities are - such as putting the needs of train users above aviation.

TAKE ACTION: Use Write to Them to find your representative
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Friends of the Earth climate campaign
Sign the petition     Sign up to the campaign
Friends of the Earth believes world leaders must change the way we tackle global warming if we are to avoid climate catastrophe - and is urging people to join its Demand Climate Change campaign by signing an international petition at www.demandclimatechange.org to call for an end to the carbon offsetting con and put pressure on world leaders for real action.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Check out Useful dates relevant to aviation
 
Take the Flight Pledge
 
Flight Pledge
 
 
There are several Petitions to sign
 
Petitions:
 
1.  Please sign the East Midlands Airport petition to the Prime Minister
"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to To Restrict Night Flights at East Midlands Airport using section 78 (Designation) of the 1982 Civil Aviation Act to restrict the amount of Night Flights". 
East Midlands Airport hosts more night flights than any of the big 3 London Airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted), and local residents are subjected to high levels of aircraft noise at night. 
The petition.....

 
2.  
Please sign the Lydd Airport petition:
 
The petition states:
"Lydd Airport is a small local airport owned by Sheikh Fahad al Athel, which is planning to become a regional airport with 2 million passengers per annum by 2015. Lydd is not a suitable site for a regional airport being surrounded by fragile habitats protected under European and UK laws, located under the largest migratory bird route in the South of England, located less than 3 miles from the Dungeness nuclear complex and less than 2 miles and 8 miles from the Lydd and Hythe military ranges. The growth in the airport will directly and indirectly damage the rare plant, invertebrate, bird and animal populations of Dungeness and pose a major public safety risk as fully loaded B737s will be taking off and landing less than three miles from the Dungeness nuclear power complex."
 
     Desired outcome:
     Not to have any further development of Lydd Airport
 
     Who we need to influence:
     Local Councillors, local MPs, Lydd Airport management, local people, people concerned 
         about air safety, people concern about the environment

 
3. 
Sign the Stop Heathrow Expansion petition
   The website provides a simple way to register your opposition.   
 
         Sign the petition (just once!)     
Sign the Heathrow petition

 
4. 
Petition to 10 Downing Street
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Say No to the third runway at Heathrow as a clear signal that UK is serious about climate change.   
 
Deadline  16th December 2009. 
Petition website.
 

Copyright AirportWatch, 2004