Schiphol airport in Amsterdam limits flights to prevent emissions, in world first
The Dutch government has announced that the number of flights arriving at Schiphol airport will be capped to bring down carbon emissions. Schiphol, the third largest airport in Europe after Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle, will be limited to 440,000 flights a year from 2023. That is an 11% reduction from the airport’s pre-pandemic numbers in 2019 – and most importantly, it is a first in terms of putting climate before economic growth. The Dutch government, a majority stakeholder in Schiphol, says the change will bring down both noise and nitrogen oxide pollution (NOx). By limiting air traffic at one of Europe’s major airports the Dutch government is taking a major step to tackle air travel, which is one of the most polluting sectors. The aviation industry is not happy about it, and want instead to persist with the myth of being “net zero by 2050” (which is uncertain, too little, too late). A pro-aviation body ACI Europe “warned against governments caving in to ‘climate populism’.” The decision was welcomed by Greenpeace, which has been campaigning to reduce flights at Schiphol for years.
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Schiphol airport in Amsterdam limits flights to prevent emissions, in world first
By Tim Gallagher (EuroNews.green)
15/07/2022
The Dutch government this week made a historic announcement that the number of flights arriving at Schiphol airport will be capped to bring down pollution.
Schiphol, which is the third largest airport in Europe after London Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle in Paris, will be limited to 440,000 flights a year from 2023.
This represents an 11% reduction from the pre-pandemic numbers in 2019 for the central European travel hub, and is a first in terms of putting climate before economic growth.
The Dutch government, which is a majority stakeholder in Schiphol, says the change will bring down both noise and nitrogen oxide pollution (NOx).
Between 1990 – 2016 air travel emissions from the EU and UK doubled. Greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 to limit global heating to 1.5C.
By limiting air traffic at one of Europe’s major airports the Dutch government is taking a major step to tackle one of the most polluting sectors.
The announcement received backlash from industry leaders who spoke out against flight number reductions, despite being broadly committed to sustainability goals.
The European aviation association ACI Europe criticised the move for damaging an economic hub in the region.
ACI Europe says it is committed to net zero by 2050 and actively encourages airports to assess the emissions of their commercial partners, including aircraft, as part of their Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme.
“Amsterdam Schiphol makes the Netherlands bigger than it is. The decision of the government to significantly reduce the capacity of the airport will make the Netherlands smaller,” says Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe director general, in reference to the airport’s role in the regional economy.
In an earlier statement on working alongside law-makers to achieve sustainable air travel, ACI Europe President Javier Marin criticised pushes to reduce regional flights and warned against governments caving in to ‘climate populism’.
Is sustainable air travel possible?
Other criticisms came from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) who spoke out against the government’s move.
“Schiphol has been struggling to cope with demand, which shows how important the airport is,” says Willie Walsh, director general of IATA, in reference to the staff shortages which are plaguing European airports including Schiphol.
“This crazy decision to cut the airport off at its knees will achieve none of the stated environmental aims, but it will cause irreparable harm to jobs and prosperity. The government should reverse course,” Walsh adds.
Walsh previously praised the air industry’s move to be net zero by 2050 saying it “gives us a seat at the table with governments and regulators.”
IATA is committed to using carbon offsetting and developing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to clean up the air travel sector, though apparently are not in favour of reducing flight numbers to further achieve this goal.
The move was hailed however by environmental charity Greenpeace who have been campaigning to reduce flights at Schiphol for years.
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This is the first airport to limit flights to combat climate change
From 2023, Amsterdam Schiphol will cut back more than 10 percent of its flights
By Ed Cunningham (TimeOut)
26 July 2022
Whichever way you look at it, air travel is terrible for the environment. Planes are responsible for two percent of all human-produced CO2 emissions, rising to 12% of transport emissions. And as much-vaunted innovations like sustainable plane fuels fail to take off, time is running out to limit the effects of those emissions on the climate.
One thing we can do, however, is drastically reduce the amount we fly. Which is why a recent move from Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport is so bold. Schiphol is the first airport in the world to have said it will permanently limit its number of flights in order to combat climate change.
Starting in 2023, Amsterdam’s main airport will cut back to a maximum of 440,000 flights per year, which is about 12% fewer than its 2019 peak.
The policy is significant not just because Schiphol is the first airport to cut back, but because it’s also a really, really significant aviation hub. Behind London Heathrow and Paris Charles de Gaulle, Schiphol is the third-busiest airport in Europe.
According to a report from the Dutch government (which majority-owns Schiphol), the benefits of reducing flights will extend much further than just helping slow climate change. Due to lower levels of noise and fewer emissions, the scheme is expected to greatly improve the lives of both the people and wildlife living near the airport.
Another aspect is that Amsterdam Schiphol has, like many airports around the world, seen its fair share of queues, delays and cancellations over the past few months. By lowering its number of flights, the airport is also reducing the risk of being caught out again by high passenger numbers.
In any case, by putting the environment before profits, Schiphol is potentially showing how the aviation industry can act to slow global warming and avert the climate crisis. All of which is, needless to say, a very good thing.
You can read Schiphol’s statement about the flight reduction in full (though if your Dutch isn’t up to scratch, it’ll have to be through an automatic translator) here.
See earlier:
Schiphol flights to be limited to 11% below 2019 levels to cut noise
After pressure from communities in the Netherlands, the Dutch Parliament has said Schiphol must reduce its flights from 500,000 a year to a maximum of 440,000 by 2023 in order to cut the noise experienced by impacted communities. That cut is 11% less than in 2019 (about 510,000). It is understand from the Dutch aviation campaigners that the mix in the current Dutch Parliament helped. The Netherlands has proportional representation and enough small parties backed the proposals to get it agreed. The decision follows a move by Schiphol itself, in which the Dutch state is the majority shareholder, to impose a cap on the number passengers it can carry this summer – although that was due to staffing shortages. Part of the reason is awareness fo the carbon emissions. Airlines, predictably, are not happy. Greenpeace, which had lobbied for traffic at Schiphol to be reduced, hailed the decision as a “historic breakthrough”. This might be the first time a major airport has been asked to reduce flight numbers.
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