General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Aviation sector pushes EU for green investment status, even for fossil fuelled planes
The aviation industry is pushing to have new aircraft powered by jet fuel classified as a green investment under EU rules for sustainable finance, in what climate campaigners have described as a “huge act of greenwashing”. Environmental groups say the criteria for the sector being considered by the European Commission risk allowing conventionally powered planes to be considered as “best in class” sustainable investments despite their CO2 emissions. Transport & Environment (T&E) say over 90% of the order book of Airbus could be considered green under criteria drafted by the EU’s advisory body on sustainable finance. The aviation industry argues investments in new planes should be considered sustainable even if they burn jet fuel because they produce fewer emissions per passenger than older models. The newest designs are up to 20% per passenger kilometer. But they still emit a lot of carbon. The industry wants aircraft to be classed as green, in order to get financial help to develop "green technologies" and that they need this money, in order to develop lower carbon air travel. Even if that cannot logically be justified.
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Extinction Rebellion blockades Luton Airport private jet terminals in Valentine’s Day protest
Extinction Rebellion and affiliated groups blockaded the entrances to Luton Airport’s Harrods Aviation and Signature private jet terminals. The protest is part of the “Make Them Pay” campaign, by Scientist Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion (XR), and Stay Grounded, which has 3 demands: ban private jets, tax frequent flyers and make polluters pay - due to their high carbon emissions. The protest was a component of a global co-ordinated action launched last week by climate activists across 11 countries, which is targeting multiple sites in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the US. About 30,000 private jets land or take off from Luton airport each year, with celebrities, actors and the very rich using them. It is only a tiny % of the population that uses private jets, which are a very, very high carbon way to travel. A passenger in a private jet might cause the emission of x10 as much CO2 as a passenger in a commercial plane, for the same distance. Though passengers private jets pay a bit more Air Passenger Duty than on commercial planes, the rate of tax on private jets is, relatively far too low.
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OEP seeks permission to intervene in Supreme Court appeal to highlight importance of clarity in environmental law
Time after time, with planning applications for developments or infrastructure, the carbon emissions of the building or activity itself are considered, but NOT the carbon emissions that result from it. For example, companies drilling for oil have to account for the carbon emissions from their drilling operations, but can ignore the carbon from burning the fuel. Airports have to measure the emissions from their operations and buildings on the ground, but can ignore the emissions from the planes, the flights of which are facilitated by the airport. Now the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has filed an application with the Supreme Court for permission to intervene in the appeal of R (Finch) v Surrey County Council highlighting the importance of clarity in the law to promote good environmental decision-making. This is whether account should be taken, by Surrey County Council, in granting planning permission, of the oil drilled from wells in Surrey. The OEP is now waiting to hear whether the Supreme Court grants permission for it to intervene. This case could set a precedent for refusal for other high carbon developments, including airports.
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Airline passengers in Europe may have slightly higher ticket prices before long
And end to the era of ‘absurdly cheap’ flights could be coming to an end, in the EU, as Brussels makes industry pay more for carbon emissions. Airline passengers may have to pay slightly higher air fares under newly strengthened EU rules designed to tackle aviation emissions, in a sign that the era of super low-cost air travel may be about to end. The EU wants to require carbon-intensive industries to pay more for their pollution with ticket prices likely to rise by up to €10 per return flight. This would be part of the ETS (Emissions Trading System) which only covers flights within Europe, not outside it. The rules phase out the current practice of allowing airlines to obtain a significant proportion of the permits they need for free by 2026. The total number of allowances in the system will also fall over time, which analysts expect to drive up the cost of aviation carbon emissions. Airlines for Europe, the industry lobby group, said the slight increase could lead to "up to 17% fewer passengers travelling through EU airports by 2035". How terrible. The EU is considering taxes on aviation kerosene.
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London City airport – there may be a consultation about allowing flights on Saturday afternoons
There is speculation about London City airport consulting about changing the times on Saturday afternoons, when the airport is open. However, local group Hacan East says that, as far as they know, Newham Council has made no official announcement about the start of the public consultation into London City's expansion plans, but they will be contacting the Council (10th February) to find out the position. The expectation is that instead of flights ending at 1pm on Saturdays, they would continue until 8.30pm. This would be deeply opposed by residents in the area, who suffer from considerable plane noise. It is thought that the airport applied for this, to Newham Council, in December. City Airport previously tried to extend Saturday flight times to 22:00, but backtracked after a public consultation in late 2022. 70% of responses to that consultation opposed any expansion. The airport also wants 12 extra Saturday flights between 18:30 and 19:30 in the summer months, and 3 more planes taking off each morning. And it hopes to increase the yearly cap on passengers from 6.5 million to 9 million.
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John Holland-Kaye to step down from his role as Heathrow CEO
Heathrow’s chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, has announced his resignation and will leave his £1.5m role at some point in 2023 after 9 years in charge. He has been trying to get a 3rd runway for years, so far without success - and with a new range of problems that make it unlikely. Holland-Kaye took over in 2014, being promoted from development director when he oversaw the building of Terminal 2. Speaking at an aviation conference earlier this week, Holland-Kaye said that more details of renewed plans for a possible 3rd runway would be unveiled later this year. He has overseen several years of rows with the Heathrow regulator, the CAA, about landing charges - with opposition from airlines to any increases. There is speculation about who might be the next CEO. One possibility is Emma Gilthorpe, the chief operations officer, who was previously a director overseeing strategy and planning, including the expansion plans. Chief financial officer Javier Echafe is also a possible contender. Holland-Kaye will remain in post to ensure a smooth handover later in 2023
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High Court has ruled that expansion of Bristol Airport will be allowed to go ahead
Campaigners against the expansion of Bristol airport legally challenged the decision of the Planning Inspectorate (PI), a year ago. The High Court has now ruled that the expansion can go ahead. North Somerset Council rejected the expansion in 2020 on environmental grounds but that decision was later overruled by the PI. Expansion would see the airport increase its capacity from 10 million to 12 million passengers per year. Opponents of the growth, through the Bristol Airport Action Network (BAAN), are very disappointed, but are already planning on challenging the ruling. BAAN has been arguing planning inspectors were wrong to ignore the impact a bigger airport would have on climate change. In his decision Lord Justice Lane said expanding the airport would impact the environment but that the decision is for central government not local. There is no proper law on UK aviation, or any legal means to control cumulative CO2 emissions from many airport expansion. The Climate Change Committee say there are big risks in the airline industry hoping for low carbon fuels in future, and recommend that "there should be no net expansion of airport capacity".
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Manston – application for another legal challenge
A High Court judge announced that the legal challenge by local people, against the decision by the government to approve the DCO - to enable the airport to reopen, for air freight - was rejected. Mr Justice Lane refused the application for a judicial review of government approval of Riveroak Strategic Partners’ (RSP) plans to redevelop the former airport into a cargo terminal, rejecting claims of procedural unfairness, climate considerations and need for a freight hub. Campaigners struck back swiftly. Ramsgate resident Jenny Dawes lodged a fresh legal bid that again hinges on the economic arguments used to justify the development and the climate cost of a new airport. Ms Dawes, who has been crowdfunding her legal efforts, and is liable for the costs of the first request, has called for a planning judge to review the decision. Ms Dawes’ action has received support from the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF), which is highly critical of the DfT approval.
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Most avoided deforestation forest carbon offsets are worthless
The avoided deforestation carbon offsets approved by the world’s leading provider and used by Disney, Shell, Gucci and other big corporations including airlines are largely worthless and could make global heating worse, according to a new investigation. The research into Verra, the world’s leading carbon standard for the rapidly growing £1.6bn voluntary offsets market, has found that, based on analysis of a significant % of the projects, more than 90% of their rainforest offset credits – among the most commonly used by companies – are likely to be “phantom credits” and do not represent genuine carbon reductions. Companies often tell their customers that buying carbon credits means their purchase is "carbon neutral" and not increasing atmospheric CO2. That is usually nonsense. The forest credit is to ensure an area of forest is not cut down, but the study found that often there was only a small threat of deforestation there. If the threat is exaggerated, more carbon credits can be sold. Also there are rarely rigorous scientific methods to measure avoided deforestation. With climate change, the future health of forests - or the risk of severe forest fires - is unknown, and probably unknowable.
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“Don’t fly to the UK to visit the Cotswolds” District Council chiefs say
Civic leaders in the Cotswolds don’t want tourists to travel by plane to the UK to visit the area. The Cotswolds attract tens of millions of visitors each year. But Cotswold District Council cabinet members say they want to see fewer tourists from markets such as Asia and the Americas who would have to fly to the UK to visit the region. They would rather promote the Cotswolds to visitors who can get to the UK by more sustainable means. British families have taken the opportunity to holiday overseas in 2022 and the Cotswolds has seen a loss of domestic tourism as a result. But there has been a small rise in the relatively low number of overseas visitors. Some cabinet members would rather see visitors come to the Cotswolds via ferry or rail. Climate change and forward planning cabinet member Rachel Coxcoon (LD, Moreton East) told a recent meeting that she is “a bit disturbed about the idea of promoting flights to the UK”. Economic development lead officer Paul James said they have seen an upsurge in domestic tourism since the pandemic.