General News
Below are links to stories of general interest in relation to aviation and airports.
Airline industry needs to at least aim for net-zero by 2050 – rather than its current even weaker targets
In 2019 the ICAO confirmed its two global aspirational goals for the international aviation sector of 2% annual fuel efficiency improvement through to 2050, and "carbon neutral growth" from 2020 onwards. The IATA has its own target of aiming for "an average improvement in fuel efficiency of 1.5% per year from 2009 to 2020; a cap on net aviation CO2 emissions from 2020 (carbon-neutral growth); and a reduction in net aviation CO2 emissions of 50% by 2050, relative to 2005 levels." Now there is greater pressure on the aviation sector do actually do something to reduce its carbon emissions. In 2020, the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) produced its Waypoint 2050 analysis, hoping aviation “should be in a position to meet net-zero emissions at a global level by 2060 or 2065”. But now ATAG's director said it would soon publish an updated version of the Waypoint 2050 report to be more ambitious. The number of airlines that have made a commitment to aim for net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050 is now 61. There is huge dependence on "sustainable aviation fuels" (which only exist in tiny amounts now, and will be expensive) providing a route to net-zero. The amounts needed by aviation in coming decades might be x8,000 as much as exist now, with production facilities costing billions of $.
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Extinction Rebellion blocks entrances to Farnborough, protesting about the high CO2 from private jets
Extinction Rebellion Farnborough activists blocked three entrances to Farnborough, which is a private airport in Hampshire. They are protesting at the very high carbon emissions produced by private jet flights - which could be x20 as high carbon as a trip on a commercial plane. Farnborough airport is the largest for private jets in the UK, with no commercial flights and few military. The flights are largely used by the very rich, celebrities and business leaders. Some of the protesters locked themselves to a stretch limousine, with a driver being locked onto the steering wheel, and to fuel barrels and a 3-metre steel tripod. At one point they moved flags blocking a road, in order to allow a car leave the airport to take someone to hospital. The airport continued to operate during the protest. Farnborough boasts of “offering a 5 star service with no compromises.” It operated over 32,500 flights in 2019, with 27% at weekends. There was a reduction in flights in 2020 (Covid) but a far smaller reduction than for commercial airlines. People who could afford to preferred to continue to travel, but on private jets. These jets tend to carry, on average, about 2.3 passengers. The airport hopes to expand to 50,000 flights per year.
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CMA have launched a “green claims code” – and consulting on environmental sustainability for business
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a consultation (29th September) "to help inform its advice to government on how competition and consumer regimes can better support the UK’s Net Zero and sustainability goals." It ends on 10th November. The CMS has issued a ‘green claims code’ and says too many businesses falsely make environmental claims, to attract customers. The CMA held a consultation in May (ended 16th July 2021) on misleading environmental claims - ie. greenwashing. It has now told companies that they have until the end of 2021 to stop the practice. It has issued new guidance for companies, to support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. In 2022, the CMA will launch a review of misleading green claims, with sectors including fashion, transport, and others. It began looking into green claims last year, finding that up to 40% could be misleading to consumers. At the same time, the Advertising Standards Authority is clamping down on companies that make misleading claims on climate impact.
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Advertising Standards Authority to launch crackdown on ads falsely claiming low-carbon credentials – including airlines
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) will conduct a series of inquiries into environmental advertising claims and practices by companies in several sectors - energy, heating and transport. Airline ads that encourage people to take flights and carmakers that show SUVs too positively are set to fall foul of a crackdown on marketing that encourages environmentally irresponsible behaviour. The intention is to support global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. In early 2022 the ASA will expand its investigation to look at the accuracy of green claims made by companies around waste - and then later it will look at meat and food sustainability advertising. The ASA hopes their "work will continue to positively influence the fight against climate change.” It will also commission research into what the public understands by terms such as “carbon neutral” and “net zero” in order to inform its policing of claims. It has already clamped down on Ryanair – which got caught using outdated information to claim it was the UK’s lowest emission airline. The UK Competition and Markets Authority is also launching its own review of misleading green claims next year.
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Report finds Heathrow is world’s 2nd most polluting airport (after Dubai)
London's 6 airports make it the most polluting city by aviation emissions, according to a new interactive tool and accompanying report. The tool allows users to explore emissions data for the world’s airports. It shows Heathrow is the 2nd highest-emitting airport in the world, (after Dubai) and accounts for two thirds of the aviation carbon from the London area. It is (2019) the single biggest polluter in the UK. The authors of the report, by Transport & Environment, ODI and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), said they hoped its findings would support challenges to airport expansion and force a “focus on the infrastructure that enables air travel and leads to more CO2 emissions in future decades”. The report shows that 86 of the 100 most polluting airports are located in the Global North - and that about 1% of the global population responsible for over 50% of all aviation-related CO2 emissions. But the climate impact of air travel is not only from the fuel burned, but also the non-CO2 warming impacts, including the insulating effect of contrails. The report says the global aviation sector was responsible for 2.5% of global CO2 emissions in 2018, with total emissions increasing by 5% annually in the 5 years before that.
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BA plan for new low cost “BA Lite” at Gatwick, for short-haul flights, abandoned
At the end of August British Airways announced that it hoped to start a new low-cost airline, called "BA Lite" to operate from Gatwick, and compete with Ryanair, EasyJet and Wizz. BA would therefore move short-haul flights back to Gatwick, after deciding to move them to Heathrow because of the pandemic. BA had consultations with trades unions – telling them that change was essential if it was to return to Gatwick. But the contracts for staff were less generous than before. Now the plan to create "BA Lite" has been scrapped, as agreement could not be reached with the pilots' union, BALPA. The union says the benefits and protections its members would have under the new company are not good enough. So BA has shelved the plan and will now cut the short haul routes it already flies from Gatwick.The news may come as a blow for Gatwick Airport as well, as it looks to grow passengers numbers and bring its emergency runway into regular use to increase its capacity. The loss of BA and its routes means Gatwick has even less need for its costly, climate-wrecking, expansion plans to bring its standby runway into full use, by 2029.
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Heathrow hopes to be allowed to increase long-haul passenger charge from £38.33 to £67.86 in 2022
The Telegraph has obtained details of plans by Heathrow to increase its charges for long-haul passenger next year, by about £30 per person, up from about £38. Heathrow has massive debts, bad before Covid and far worse now. It has one of the biggest debt piles in British corporate history. Heathrow says it is not expecting more than a quarter of the number of passengers in 2022, compared to the number (81 million) in 2019 - so it has to increases prices. It has had to ask lenders for waivers on banking conditions, to avoid defaulting on its loans. Heathrow will have to get agreement from the CAA for an increase in costs, under its regulatory framework. The CAA is likely to decide on this in the next month, and it may not be favourable to Heathrow. The airlines are predictably angry. However, in order to reduce aviation carbon emissions, some demand reduction is needed - such as higher prices - though the government will not consider that. Heathrow is also planning a new levy on air cargo, to make more money. It is also planning to introduce a new lower noise level, to encourage less noisy planes.
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UK government minister claims people must keep flying to help cut aviation CO2
A government minister has angered scientists and environmentalists by claiming people need to keep flying in order to help cut carbon emissions. Junior transport minister Rachel Maclean said the aviation sector needed to have "confidence in its future" and that the government had no plans to try and reduce demand for flights. She said lower carbon planes and fuels would not be invented if they were rendered unprofitable by people abandoning air travel. So we have to have lots of people flying, causing the emission of more CO2, in order for the industry to pay for future changes to cut emissions. (Wonderful logic). She said flying was one of the things that "make life worth living" and that the government would not place restrictions on it, for business or leisure ... and "We believe that we can reach zero in aviation [by 2050], without having a demand management policy." Dr Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace UK, said: “According to the minister... it’s like advocating donuts as the confidence boost you need to make yourself go to the gym ... the Committee on Climate Change, and the Airports Commission, insisted that demand constraint was essential for aviation to meet our carbon targets."
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West of England leaders to formally oppose expansion of Bristol Airport
Leaders of the west region (Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) and North Somerset) are expected to change their minds, and instead of backing expansion of Bristol airport, now oppose it. Metro mayor Dan Norris is tabling a motion at a special meeting on 21st September of the West of England Combined Authority’s (Weca’s) joint committee, which he leads, that would scrap its previous endorsement of the plans. The motion could be carried by a majority vote of the 5 members, so the motion will be carried if Mr Norris (Bristol) and Cllrs Guy (B&NES) and Davies (North Somerset) support it as expected. Cllr Guy said: “Airport expansion is fundamentally incompatible with local councils’ commitment to tackling the climate emergency." Mr Norris’s motion includes the statements that: There is a climate and biodiversity emergency ... The West of England has ambition net zero targets for 2030 ...The proposed expansion of Bristol Airport is one of the biggest carbon decisions in the region for the coming decade. And “The Joint Committee resolves: To oppose the latest plans to expand Bristol Airport.”
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Hope is not a Strategy – Aviation cannot be allowed to keep adding to the climate crisis
With just two months to go before the UK Government hosts the vitally important COP26 International Climate Change Summit in Glasgow, Stansted Airport Watch ('SAW'), and a host of other environmental campaign groups from all across the UK, are pressing the Government for immediate action to tackle aviation's growing impact on climate change. UK aviation was responsible for 38 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2019 and the Government is content to allow this to continue to increase until 2030 and still to be more than 30 million tonnes in 2040 - by letting airports expand. In response to the DfT consultation, on its "Jet Zero by 2050" strategy, SAW has submitted a highly critical evidence paper challenging the DfT's 'business as usual' strategy and its total reliance on technological solutions emerging from beyond the horizon over the next 20-30 years (new biofuels, novel fuels, electric and hydrogen fuelled planes, and carbon storage technologies). The key message from SAW is that "Hope is not a Strategy". SAW has also submitted evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee Inquiry into the apparent contradiction between the Government's expansionist aviation policy and its declared commitment to tackling climate change.