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For a daily compilation of UK articles on national and regional transport issues, see Transportinfo.org.uk | For more stories about specific airports see Aviation Environment Federation Transport & Environment Anna Aero TravelMole Press releases from CAA IATA BA Ryanair easyJet Jet2.com For climate change ECEEE news and Guardian Climate and NoAA monthly analysisCheck Hansard for reports on Parliament |
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Latest news stories:
Greenpeace and XR climate activists storm Amsterdam Schiphol airport and block private jets
Dutch border police arrested hundreds of climate activists who stormed the private jet area of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport and sat in front of the wheels of aircraft to prevent them from leaving. More than 100 protesters from Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion entered an area where private jets are kept, as part of a day of demonstrations in and around the airport organised by environmental groups to mark the start of the COP27 talks in Egypt. Greenpeace says Schiphol is the largest source of CO2 emissions in the Netherlands, emitting 12 billion kilograms annually. Around 200 activists were arrested, and there is video of many escaping on bicycles, while the police try to catch them on foot (one activist received a head injury). The airport says the usual greenwashing stuff about becoming an emissions-free airport by 2030 etc (conveniently ignoring the flights) and being net zero by 2050. Blah blah. The Dutch transport minister, Mark Harbers, told parliament last month that his office could not control growing private jet traffic, and the government was considering whether to include the issue in its climate policy. Private jets emit greatly more CO2 per person than even on commercial planes.
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New survey shows most employees expect top executives to set corporate flying reduction targets
In the past, the full-fare airlines especially got a lot of their income from business travellers, who paid more than those in coach class, and were less price sensitive than individual passengers. But with growing awareness of the global climate permacrisis, and also the changes to working practices due to the Covid pandemic, there has been a reduction in business travel. And it may be a permanent change. A new survey of staff at a large number of businesses in the US, the UK, France, Germany and Spain found that at least 60% thought there should be less business flying, and that companies should have the appropriate travel policies. Due to Covid, a high proportion of business meetings can be done online, using Zoom, Teams etc, and many staff prefer this. There has been realisation that staff are more productive - and happier - if they do not have to waste time taking flights, especially for internal company meetings. The old days of business flying being a mark of status, gaining respect and kudos, may be gone.
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Leeds Bradford Airport: summer night flight limit exceeded by 600, say campaigners
Leeds Bradford airport is currently allowed 2,920 flights at night (between 23:00 and 07:00) in the summer period, which is defined as 27 March to 30 October in 2022 - the same as British Summer Time. However, local campaigners, GALBA, have found that there were about 600 more night flights than this, over the summer ie. almost 3,500. That comes to around 10 more per night. The maximum number of night time aircraft movements (ie. takes offs and landings) in the Winter Season at 1,200, and up to 10% of ‘unused’ night flights from the previous season may be transferred to the next season. So the airport has broken the rules on the number of night flights. Leeds City Council confirmed it had received a complaint and was investigating. Enforcement of the planning consent of the airport is the responsibility of the council. There are serious concerns about airport bosses having "repeatedly claimed" the airport would double in size, and how that is possible, when there are strict rules on the number of passengers and, crucially, the number of night flights that can be operated.
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Government £1.5 million campaign (taxpayer money) to boost aviation recruitment
The UK government has a new recruitment campaign that it is calling “Generation Aviation”, aimed at encouraging people to consider a career in the UK’s aviation sector. It claims this “forms part of government strategy to create a more sustainable, open and diverse aviation sector.” People in the scheme will be able to “kick-start a […]
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Pressure for aviation to have to include its non-CO2 climate impacts of its emissions
The lack of scientific clarity on the impact of its non-CO2 effects is a risk for commercial aviation, as it starts to take steps to address the problem of its carbon emissions and their climate impact. There is an aspirational target by the ICAO for the commercial air travel sector to reach "net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050". The exact meaning of net-zero is never clear, or how genuinely the emissions will be removed. But that ignores the other problem aviation has, which is the non-CO2 impacts of its emissions at high altitude. These are various gases, including nitrogen oxides (NOx) and also contrails. Studies indicate that these may double, or even triple, the climate warming impact of the plane's CO2 alone. The science is complicated, and the impacts are different at different times of day, in different weather conditions, in different places, and different durations of effects. However, it is convenient for the industry to continue hiding behind claims that the science is uncertain, as the reality would be a real handicap for their future plans. Tim Johnson, of the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) said though ICAO has refused to address non-CO2 impacts yet, this will become imperative between now and 2050 (at the very latest).
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“Possible” campaign legally challenging government’s “Jet Zero” strategy
The government has no proper aviation policy, with just unrealistic aspirations in its "Jet Zero Strategy" for the sector to be able to reduce its carbon emissions (and other climate impacts) using technologies that are either unproven or cannot be scaled up to the necessary extent. It will not try to limit demand for air travel. Now the climate campaign, Possible, has lodged a judicial review claim against the government because their “Jet Zero” strategy would fail to reduce aviation’s climate impacts in line with the UK’s emissions commitments and would encourage a huge increase in flights. The Climate Change Committee, in their most recent 2022 progress report to Parliament, stated that the government needs to “implement a policy to manage aviation demand as soon as possible”. Reducing the number of flights and passengers is the only reliable way to cut the climate impact of UK aviation. The grounds of Possible's legal claim include the strategy's failure to ensure that it would enable the UK’s carbon budgets to be met and, and this risks the UK failing to achieve net zero. Also that the government did not take the advice of the Climate Change Committee, and it did not consult on demand management. The campaign, GALBA, is also challenging the government over the strategy.
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Climate Change Committee recommendations to government on voluntary carbon markets and offsetting
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has a new report, called "Voluntary Carbon Markets and Offsetting". It looks at the evidence on the risks and opportunities presented by voluntary carbon markets and ‘offsetting’, in relation to progress to "Net Zero" in the UK and beyond. The role of voluntary carbon markets can only be limited. The CCC says that before growing voluntary carbon markets, Government must put in place stronger guidance, regulation and standards to ensure purchase of carbon credits is not used as a substitute for vital direct business emissions reduction - also to improve the integrity and transparency of carbon credits. In the absence of these measures, there is a real risk that voluntary carbon markets slow progress towards Net Zero or damage other priorities such as climate adaptation and biodiversity. The CCC recommends that business should use measures with high integrity, but focus on actually cutting their direct emissions. Voluntary carbon markets should result in lower overall CO2 emissions. They say carbon credit standards should better consider biodiversity and other ecosystem services, especially in biodiversity priority areas. Climate and nature should both be protected together.
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FoI shows BA’s parent airline, IAG, not keen on CO2 per passenger data being revealed
For people who decide to fly, it probably causes the emission of less CO2 if they can find an airline that emits less per passenger than others for that route. There was a study done by the ICCT, ranking the various airlines for their emissions on the same route. But it has now been revealed, by a Freedom of Information request by OpenDemocracy, that BA's owner, IAG, was keen for those figures to be kept from the public, as it shows them up in a bad light. IAG had argued against the proposal when responding to the Department for Transport’s 2021 consultation on its ‘Jet Zero strategy’. There are various reasons why an airline might emit more CO2 on a route, some of which are the age of the planes, and the amount of premium seats. Tim Johnson, director of the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF), said consumers do not have enough information yet about the relative emissions of different airlines on a route. He urged the government to “require airlines to disclose and share CO2 emissions per passenger so they can be incorporated at the point of sale, whether that is on an airline's own website or through a comparison site or travel company”.
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Government accepts its “net zero” climate strategy is unlawful and must be redone by March 2023
Jacob Rees-Mogg, Secretary of State at BEIS, has dropped plans to appeal against a High Court ruling that found the government’s plan to reach "net zero" was unlawful. This means the government must now draw up a new net-zero strategy by March 2023, to reach its legally binding target for 2050. The net zero plan had always been too vague, with no details of how the target could be achieved. And it would not provide the necessary cuts by the 2030s. There were various suggestions (eg more nuclear power or more electric cars), but nothing set out the various emissions savings each measure might achieve, or measures to check progress. So in June a legal challenge were brought by ClientEarth, Friends of the Earth and the Good Law Project. The government's lawyers were unable to provide detail on how targets would be met. Then in July, Mr Justice Holgate ruled that the strategy was unlawful because it failed to meet two obligations in the Climate Change Act 2008 - monitoring of progress, and details of carbon savings. Aviation should be included in the strategy. A report by the Tory MP Chris Skidmore, due by the end of the year, is likely to influence a new strategy.
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Truss backs Heathrow 3rd runway, hoping aviation will become “environmentally friendly”!
Liz Truss has reiterated her support for a third runway at Heathrow, as did her new Transport Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, a week earlier. Ms Truss was asked in the Commons, at PM's questions, by Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney, about her support for a larger Heathrow. She parotted that standard answer about aviation being important for the UK's economic growth blah blah. Sarah Olney said, as well as extra CO2 emissions of perhaps 6 million tonnes per year, from a 3rd runway, its impact would be seriously more noise for perhaps 2 million households in areas where Heathrow flights are audible. Truss etc hope (presumably without any proper research into the matter) that air travel can, amazingly, be expanded while at the same time become more [sic] more "environmentally friendly." That means a vast, implausibly large and rapid expansion in production and use of alternative jet fuels, (SAF) that are genuinely low carbon. Paul McGuinness, chairman of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said Heathrow expansion should only considered within a national UK aviation strategy, looking at all the regions, which so far does not exist.
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Intergenerational Foundation calls for ban on UK domestic flights, where train takes under 4.5 hours
Banning UK domestic flights on routes with fast rail connections that take under four and a half hours, could substantially cut the UK’s CO2 emissions from domestic aviation by a third, a report by the Intergenerational Foundation has found. In 2019 the emissions from domestic flights were about 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 (all UK aviation was about 39.6 million tonnes). The 2.7 million tonnes is about the same as energy to power 700,000 UK homes for a year. If all the flights with a rail alternative of under 4.5 hours (excluding to Northern Ireland) were substituted by rail travel, something like 880,000 tonnes of CO2 might be saved per year. A similar ban on domestic flights, where there is a rail alternative taking under 2.5 hours, was introduced in France in April this year. For many of the UK journeys, there would be little disruption to passengers. Often the train on these journeys takes about the same time, (sometimes less) city centre to city centre, or only a little longer than by plane. The problem remains that rail travel is often more expensive then by air, though cheap tickets are often available. Domestic air travel currently pays £13 Air Passenger Duty one way (£26 return) but this will be halved after April 2023. It also pays no VAT or fuel duty.
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Heathrow passengers still well below 2019 level, with demand uncertainties this autumn
Heathrow says it had 5.8 million passengers in September, which was 15% below its level in 2019. Its passenger numbers went up in the summer, though below 2019 levels, and because of a lack of staff, it limited the number of passengers to 100,000 per day during July September and October - that ends on 29th October, after half-term for most schools. The airport hopes, as ever, for a bumper Christmas season with loads of passengers, despite the various UK economic problems. Demand may not be as much as it hopes if there is a winter resurgence of Covid, a worsening situation in Ukraine, more economic gloom in the UK, and continuing high energy prices, giving many people less disposable income. Heathrow said it would spend the next year working on bringing its capacity and service back to pre-pandemic levels. It has claimed it is back as the busiest large airport in Europe, after being knocked off its perch for that by Schiphol. But Schiphol now will have some flight number limitations, from 2023, when the annual number is to be cut from 500,000 to 400,000 flights to limit noise, carbon emissions and air pollution.
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Climate Change Committee reports that UK’s carbon plans (including “Jet Zero”) are unlikely to achieve “net zero” by 2050
The Climate Change Committee has updated its assessment (last was in June) of the government's climate plans. They say current plans are unlikely to put us on track for Net Zero by 2050. They consider only 39% of the required emissions savings are backed up by credible plans or policies. The say significant risks remain in most sectors, particularly buildings, industry, aviation & shipping, and the government’s Jet Zero Strategy (July 2022) made no improvement to the CCC's previous climate progress assessment in June. The Government’s plans lean too heavily on yet-to-be-proven technologies, which is risky. They recommend (and have given this advice to government for a long time, though it is ignored) a "much higher role for demand-side action in reducing emissions, which is necessary to mitigate the risk of supply-side measures falling short." Depending on more fuel efficient planes and SAF is uncertain, and lower air travel demand would be more effective. They also say there should be no net expansion of airport capacity, and there should be "fiscal policies to correct the imbalance between the cost of flying and lower-emission alternatives." The government is unwise to place hopes, before 2050, in any carbon removal technologies.
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ICAO hopes for “net zero” aviation by 2050 – based on offsets, SAF etc
At the latest 3-yearly meeting of ICAO in Montreal, an announcement was made to have an "aspirational" goal of "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050. This is a move towards meeting the Paris Agreement objectives. It was made by the assembled transport ministers. However, this depends largely on buying carbon offsets, and availability of low carbon fuels - neither of which may actually work. It is a bit better than the earlier targets by ICAO and IATA, which had two global aspirational goals for the international aviation sector, of 2% annual fuel efficiency improvement through to 2050, “carbon neutral growth” from 2020 onwards, and a net cut of 50% by 2050. Neither mention reducing air travel demand or the number of flights. Industry trade body IATA also says it backs the goal despite reported opposition from Chinese airlines. The aspiration for a target for aviation carbon is supported more by airlines from the high-income "climate ambition countries, but there is opposition from Russia, China and other countries with relatively new aviation industries. They don't want their growth hampered. ICAO also wants "viable financing and investment support" from government for the novel fuels that it hopes to use.
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Stansted Airport refuses £1.4m costs offer from Uttlesford Council and asks for £2.2m
Stansted Airport has rejected Uttlesford District Council's offer of £1.4million to cover its legal costs for an appeal over its plan for expansion to 43m passengers a year. The airport has instead made a counter-offer of £2.2m to Uttlesford. The council was ordered to pay the airport’s legal costs after it lost an appeal against the airport's plan in May 2021. It voted to offer the airport £1.4m, including £1m paid on account. According to the report, Stansted's counter-offer also includes the £1m already paid on account, but not legal costs associated with the settlement negotiations. Councillors will meet on 11th October to vote on a revised offer to the airport of £2.05m. According to the report, this would consist of £2m in respect of the claim for costs itself and £50,000 of interest. It could also make a second “all-in” offer of £2.1m, which would include all interest and costs incurred by Stansted Airport in negotiating the settlement. It is wrong that a local council should have to pay so much of its taxpayers' money, to try to defend its residents against negative impacts of a large company. And that councils are then too afraid to challenge. Uttlesford will then have far less money with which to provide services to residents.
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Brunel Museum joins about 60 organisations giving staff 2 extra paid holiday days, to travel overland
In 2019 the climate organisation, Possible, set up the Climate Perks campaign to encourage employers to let their staff have two extra paid days, when going on holiday, so they could avoid going by plane, and go overland instead. Now the Brunel Museum in London has joined Climate Perks, and is the first museum to do so. Extra days out of the office to travel sustainably mean employees can make a choice that’s better for our planet without missing out on their annual leave. Centres for learning and culture, like Brunel Museum, are invaluable places for initiatives like this to start gaining prominence. Here’s to more museums following suit! The Brunel Museum is just one of the 60 or so organisations that have signed up to the scheme. Interested in getting your workplace onboard? Find out more and get in touch at www.climateperks.com.
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Luton Airport’s delayed rail link, paid for by the Council, may open in 2023
The new transit rail link will connect the existing Luton Airport Parkway station to the terminal building, with electric trains running 24 hours per day. It will not operate until 2023 at the earliest, and an opening date will be announced in early 2023, though approved in 2017. Luton Rising, which owns the airport, said the delay was mostly down to revenue and ticketing arrangements. The rail link is called a DART (Direct Air-Rail Transit) and is an electrically-powered, fast passenger transit running on a 1.4-mile (2.2km) rail line connecting the station - part of the Thameslink and East Midlands Railway network - to the airport terminal in just over 3 minutes, replacing the existing bus transfer service. The airport hopes that passengers will be able to travel between Luton and London in just over half an hour. The total estimated cost of the project is £225m including transport system, station improvements and civil engineering works. The project is being funded by Luton Council and LLAL (London Luton Airport Ltd, the company that runs the airport) which is wholly owned by Luton Council. ie. it is entirely funded by public money, to assist the airport.
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Truss’ new Transport Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, backs a 3rd Heathrow runway
With the arrival of the Truss government in September, Grant Shapps (a big aviation enthusiast) was removed from the job of Transport Secretary, and replaced by Anne-Marie Trevelyan. She has now said, at the (somewhat fractious!) Tory party conference that she is supports building a 3rd Heathrow runway, and is an ‘absolute believer’ in aviation expansion's potential benefits, with it being "a really important part of our growth." Boris Johnson opposed the 3rd runway. The main focus of the Truss government is economic growth, at any cost, with desperation to get more economic activity and more money for those earning. She believes a growing airport will increase UK exports by air. After years of wrangling, Heathrow's plan to build a third runway was originally given the green light in 2018 by Chris Grayling, under Theresa May. It cannot go ahead until a DCO has been applied for and allowed, and the airport can find the necessary money. Ms Trevelyan said concerns about increasing aviation CO2 are no longer valid because of the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuels.
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Easyjet to stop offsetting CO2 emissions from December
The airline industry is being urged to do reconsider if it uses carbon offsetting programs. When they are used, the offsets used - as well as probably being ineffective - are far too cheap to make any real difference. The problem is that offsets are not a substitute for genuine emissions reductions. The way many schemes work is not transparent, and they have been called a "wild west". There is no single standard on carbon emissions and how they, or the offsets, are calculated. The same goes for SAF - " sustainable aviation fuels". Now easyJet has said it will stop offsetting carbon emissions by its planes. It has unveiled a “roadmap to net zero” emissions by 2050 including introducing (allegedly) hydrogen-powered jet engines. It also hopes for more use of SAF (future supplies uncertain) more fuel-efficient planes (very slow to develop) and carbon capture (which does not yet exist, to any meaningful extent) to reach the target. EasyJet of course intends to keep growing, keep increasing the number of flights, and keep emitting more carbon. It had a three-year contract in late 2019 to offset all its CO2 emissions –costing it about £25m a year, but it was regarded as greenwashing the environmental damage it causes.
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Manston second legal challenge applied for by campaigners
Ramsgate resident Jenny Dawes has applied for a judicial review (JR)of the decision to allow the Manston airport site to be transformed into a cargo hub. The court has still to decide whether to allow the appeal. The JR would mean the decision in August by the government to allow the scheme would be reassessed by a High Court judge. The airport's owners, RiverOak Strategic Partners (RSP), had wanted to start preliminary work by Christmas. Ms Dawes, whose legal team has now filed its 1,200-page appeal, said that developing Manston Airport would cause irreparable harm to the people, the environment and even the economy of east Kent. The Development Consent Order (DCO) for the work was originally granted by the government in 2020; it was then quashed in 2021 after a judicial review; it was then approved by government this August; and it now being challenged again. In October 2021 an independent aviation assessor concluded there was no need for a new freight airport at Manston. Ms Dawes crowd-funded £119,000 to pay for the legal costs arising from the 2020 judicial review, and is hoping to generate £50,000 in donations on this occasion.
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CAA data shows 5,000 empty ‘ghost flights’ in UK since 2019, and 35,000 with under 10% load factor
CAA data shows that over 5,000 completely empty passenger flights have flown to or from UK airports since 2019, and another 35,000 flights have operated almost empty. - with under 10% of passengers. ie. 40,000 in total. Much of this was due to the Covid pandemic, but not all. Why ghost flights operate remains unclear. Only airlines know the reasons but they do not publish data that explains the practice. Ghost flights may run to fulfil “use-it-or-lose-it” airport slot rules, though these were suspended during the height of the pandemic. Other reasons cited by airlines include Covid repatriation flights or the repositioning of aircraft. But these cannot be verified and campaigners said more transparency was needed. Earlier figures (March 2022) indicated some 15,000 ghost flights that took off from UK airports between March 2020 and September 2021, but that only included international departures. The 40,000 figure includes international arrivals, and all domestic flights. These flights are a shocking, unnecessary source of CO2 emissions, and campaigners say they must be reduced. One way to do that would be a jet fuel tax, as currently the fuel is untaxed.
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Luton Airport dismisses climate change as factor in planning inquiry
A public inquiry has begun into Luton Airport's expansion plans. Luton Borough Council, whose company Luton Rising owns the airport, approved the growth plans in December. The separate private company that runs the airport, London Luton Airport Operations Limited (LLAOL), applied to increase passengers from 18 million to 19 million per year and to amend the noise contours. The government said an inquiry should review the main aspects of development. Three planning inspectors are expected to participate during the inquiry, Richard Clegg, Sheila Holden and Geoff Underwood. The agenda includes air quality, climate change, the impact of noise, sustainability, socio-economic implications, the influence of other considerations on the overall planning balance, and whether it would be consistent with the local development plan and other policies. It is unsatisfactory for the owner of the airport to also be its planning authority. Local campaign group, LADACAN, expect the hearings to shine some uncomfortable light how the focus has been just on maximising revenues, while ignoring other vital considerations, such as climate and environmental issues.
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Leeds Bradford campaigners, GALBA, taking government to court over ‘fantasy’ Jet Zero strategy
Campaigners from local group, GALBA, against the expansion of Leeds Bradford Airport are taking the Government to court over its ‘fantasy’ so-called Jet Zero strategy to cut aviation CO2 emissions. GALBA's Nick Hodgkinson is making the legal challenge, on behalf of the group, as the strategy is seriously deficient; the aim is to get the government to reverse it. With the impacts of global heating and climate change ever more apparent, it is wrong for the aviation sector to be allowed to increase its carbon emissions. The government's climate advisors, the Climate Change Committee, have said air travel demand has to be reduced, but the government has repeatedly ignored this. Nick said that in reality, the strategy has no real plans to cut emissions, and actually does the opposite ... "it gives the green light to large scale expansion of airports and emissions. The government is just crossing its fingers and hoping there will be techno-solutions at some point in the future." The legal challenge will cost perhaps £60,000 and GALBA is working with other UK airport groups to raise the necessary funds.
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CORSIA to add €2.40 to a flight from Europe to the US – just greenwash, and ineffective on cutting carbon
The UN aviation agency ICAO uses offsetting as its key mechanism to decarbonise aviation, but this is ineffective in reducing the CO2 emissions. New research from Transport & Environment (T&E) shows that the ICAO scheme CORSIA would add just €2.40 to the price of a flight between Europe (the European Economic Area - EEA) and the US. That really is no disincentive to fly, nor does it do anything to prevent other carbon emissions elsewhere. The cost per passenger flying between the EEA and the Middle East, would be €1.40; to China, a mere €3.5. Such amounts are FAR too low, when considering the cost of decarbonising the aviation industry. The total cost to the global aviation industry of CORSIA would be €118 million in 2030, representing only 0.4% of their total operating costs. For airlines operating flights from the EEA to the Middle East, purchasing offsets would cost €40.3 million in 2030 – just 0.3% of total operating costs. Jo Dardenne, aviation director at T&E, says: “Offsetting is a climate fraud... by an industry resisting real climate action. Paying €2 to fly ‘guilt-free’ to New York is a climate absurdity." T&E and other environmental groups have for years questioned the use of offsetting as a means to reduce aircraft emissions, which will not enable the industry to become net zero by 2050.
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Doncaster Sheffield airport to close after no ‘tangible proposals’ put forward
Doncaster Sheffield airport is to close later this year, its owners have confirmed, despite the offer of financial aid from public funds. This leaves hundreds of staff facing redundancy and comes days after Liz Truss said she had instructed ministers to protect the airport. The airport's owners, the Peel Group, which had extended a public consultation period by 10 days, said a strategic review had ended without any clear proposals on the airport site’s financial viability, or a potential buyer. They said the high costs of running the airport, whose flight numbers have fallen by more than half since 2019, meant it would start winding down operations from 31st October. Peel is in consultation with staff about losing their jobs. Local politicians wanted the government to provide more public money for it, but at present the UK government has massive and increasing debts, partly from capping household and business energy costs, and no cash to spare. Peel realises subsidising a permanently loss-making airport is not a sensible use of scarce public funds. It has made big losses since the start of the pandemic, and there are other airports in the area (Leeds, Manchester) that travellers can easily use.
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Concern if large donations to the Conservative party, from aviation interests, affect government policy
The aviation industry contributed more than a tenth of the Conservative Party’s donations between April and June 2022, prompting questions about the government’s climate policies. About £650,000 was given to the Tory party by companies and donors linked to the aviation industry, 13% of total donations, making it the third biggest sector behind finance and property. The Electoral Commission data was analysed by DeSmog, a website that monitors lobbying on climate change. The government has no real policies to reduce aviation CO2 emissions, except its "Jet Zero" strategy, but places its faith in unproven future technologies, while refusing to do anything to control air travel demand, which would be the most effective way to limit aviation carbon. It is very concerning if the large donations to the Conservative party, from aviation interests, are swaying government policy on a vital area. Christopher Harborne, the owner of AML Global, an aviation fuel supplier, gave £500,000 in May and a further £15,000 in June. Other donations were from Bridgemere UK (private jets), Knaresborough Aviation, the Rigby Group, and the executive chairman of Jet2.
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Gatwick hopes to have 32.8m passengers in 2022 – it was 46.6m in 2019
Gatwick has said it hopes now to have 32.8 million passengers this year, a forecast that is perhaps 10% above its earlier assessment in March of 30.6 million. That is still well down from 46.6 million in 2019. The airport said operations at the airport were “business as usual” and it would not need to extend its capacity restraints beyond the end of the month. It is likely that inflation and the cost of living "crisis" may deter some travellers later in the year and this winter. Gatwick's staffing problems have not been fully resolved and recently it had cancelled at least 26 flights at the last minute due to staff absence in the airport's control tower. More than 13 million passengers travelled through Gatwick in the six months to the end of June.
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Paris to push private jet bans at EU ministers meeting
The French transport minister, Clément Beaune, has said the EU could no longer tolerate people using private jets for their personal convenience and fun, when the public was being asked to make sacrifices in the energy crisis and due to climate change. He said: “Certain types of behaviour are no longer acceptable. We have to act to regulate flights on private jets." Everyone has to make an effort, and the super-rich should not be excluded. Also that companies might be forced to publish regular details on their use of corporate aircraft. Trips on private jets cause the emission of hugely more CO2 even than first class seats on commercial flights. Private jets are used a lot in France, and the mileage increased during Covid. Neither the EU nor France is considering an outright ban on business jets because of their role in the world economy. But it is considering heavy taxation and restrictions on their use in France, especially for short trips where there is a good train service. But the bill is unlikely to be passed by the government. Earlier the French government banned flights on internal trips where the train takes under 2 and a half hours.
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Secretary of State approves the DCO for freight airport development at Manston
A Development Consent Order (DCO) for an air freight airport at Manston has been redetermined and granted by the government, again. The DCO application was initially submitted in August 2018 and granted in July 2020 but quashed in February 2021 following a Judicial Review challenge by Ramsgate resident Jenny Dawes. There has been a long saga of this DCO, catalogued on this webpage. Now fresh approval has been issued by Transport Minister, Karl McCartney MP, and the DCO will come into force from September 8th 2022. The order says DfT considers there is a "clear justification" for the development. On carbon, through some dubious arguments, the government does not consider the extra aviation CO2 added due to cargo at Manston to be "material" to the UK's intention to have net zero aviation by 2050. It says it believes the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan and the Jet Zero Strategy, "will ensure Government’s decarbonisation targets for the sector and the legislated carbon budgets can be met without directly limiting aviation demand. [So] he does not accept the Examining Authority’s view that carbon emissions is a matter that should be afforded moderate weight against the Development in the planning balance, and considers that it should instead be given neutral weight at the most."
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Immense and implausible increase needed in global carbon capture and storage, to remove aviation etc CO2
The UK has no proper policy to decarbonise aviation. Instead it hopes there will be breakthroughs in aircraft technology and a vast increase in "sustainable" aviation fuels (SAF) which - miraculously - will not compete or conflict with other sectors, or cause other environmental problems. And they are hoping much of the carbon that aviation will continue to emit will be (magically) removed from the air and stored permanently underground (CCS). So far the success of carbon capture plants has been underwhelming. Hardly any carbon has been stored underground. Indeed, even if the global capacity for CCS was expanded very fast (40% per year or so) it is not economic. Unless the expensively captured carbon can be sold to another sector (another industry, greenhouse horticulture, making other fuels) it is not economic. There are estimates that the amount of CO2 that would have to be captured and permanently stored globally would be perhaps x1000 as much as now, just by the 2030s. And the CO2 produced from agriculture, cement making etc - hard to electrify - would be in addition to that from aviation, requiring CCS. In reality, the carbon capture hoped for is not going to happen, certainly not on the scale needed.
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AEF RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT’S ‘JET ZERO’ STRATEGY
In July, the DfT set out its "jet zero" strategy - with the intention of bringing down UK aviation CO2 emissions to "net zero" by 2050, (after allowing an increase) with sub-targets to make domestic flights and airports "net zero" by 2040. Environmental groups are distinctly unimpressed, as the strategy has very low ambition or real measures to cut the CO2. The groups say there should be detailed policy proposals on how the strategy's ambitions will be achieved, with specific policy mechanisms to create incentives for the development and deployment of "zero emission" aircraft and "sustainable aviation fuel" (SAF). There also needs to be a clear decarbonisation pathway to cut emissions by 2035, compared to 2019, not by 2050. It needs to cut air travel demand, which is the only sure way to cut emissions, but the strategy studiously avoids doing that. There should be no airport expansions allowed. And the non-CO2 impacts should be included, which they are not. The AEF considers that the near term policies are too ineffective - just using the UK ETS and more SAF, and the cost of decarbonisation measures should be borne by the aviation industry, not the taxpayer.
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Heathrow airport passenger cap extended until 29th October – after autumn half term
Heathrow has extended its 100,000 passenger a day cap for another six weeks, until the 29th October. It had been due to end on 11th September. The new date will include the autumn half-term, when a lot of people fly abroad. The reason for the reduction to 100,000 departing passengers is continuing staff shortages. Reducing the number per day slightly means fewer delays and last-minute cancellations. Heathrow reported a £321m adjusted pretax loss for the first half of 2022 in July. It could not cope with passengers' baggage. The airport said it remained loss-making and did not expect to pay any dividends to its shareholders for the rest of the year, but it was offsetting increased costs through higher charges. People are anxious about their flights. Perhaps some might decide not to fly this year. Earlier in August, Ferrovial said it was considering selling its stake in Heathrow, as it was not making enough money out of it. Finding enough money to build a (white elephant) 3rd runway seems an ever more distant, or impossible, aspiration by Heathrow's owners.
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How companies like Heathrow may be misguidedly covering farmland in trees, as “carbon offsets”
Many companies are attempting to claim they are "offsetting" their current carbon emissions, by paying for ways in which the carbon can be removed from the atmosphere, or future carbon emissions by others can be prevented. What is actually needed, to prevent an increase in global atmospheric CO2 in the next few years, is NOT to emit the carbon. Hoping it can be removed in future is deeply unsatisfactory. But companies like Heathrow have been buying up "offsets" from planting trees, in the hope that - in 3 or more decades - they will have removed some CO2 from the air. But the problem is that many of these tree planting schemes are buying up existing farmland, or land with other uses, in order to plant these "offset" plantations. Many farmers and those with agricultural land are dismayed and angry. Sometimes other land then has to be used for agriculture, to replace the land taken by offset companies - so little overall benefit. Heathrow said (Feb 2020) it will offset "the remaining 7% of infrastructure emissions through tree-planting projects in Indonesia and Mexico that will be certified through the Verified Carbon Standard." And in 2020 it would "funnel £1.8m of new investment on nature-based carbon capture solutions in the UK. " eg. 87.4 hectares in Ullapool in Scotland, "will benefit from a native woodland creation project part-funded by Heathrow. In partnership with Forest Carbon."
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Heathrow’s Spanish owner Ferrovial considers selling stake if airport does not make enough money
Ferrovial, which owns 25% of Heathrow, is considering selling its stake. A French investor, Ardian - which has other airport interests - might buy it. Ferrovial considers it has not made, and is not making, enough money from Heathrow. It is displeased by the CAA ruling, that Heathrow cannot hugely increase its landing fees charged per passenger at Heathrow. Heathrow wanted to put this up to over £40 per person, but recently the CAA ruled that it will have to fall from £30.19 to £26.31 by 2026, despite a furious lobbying effort by the airport. Ferrovial is understood to have been approached by Ardian, a Paris-based private equity firm, about a possible joint deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Ardian held a 49% stake in Luton airport between 2013 and 2018. Ferrovial has said it would be sceptical about committing further funding to Heathrow if the airport cannot get CAA agreement on charges. The lower landing charges are a disincentive to new investors, who fear low profits. Experts consider that any decision to cut off funding was likely to scupper plans for a 3rd runway, with progress already disrupted by a sharp fall in air travel during the pandemic and huge debts.
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ICCT report shows that only small, very short distance, commuter planes could be electrified any time soon
A recent report by the ICCT (International Council for Clean Transportation) on electric aircraft concludes that electric models will be limited to short range flights (< 500 km) in the foreseeable future. Despite improvements in battery technology in the past three decades, batteries remain inadequate to the task of electrifying most of passenger aircraft. They are just not powerful enough. The energy density of lithium batteries increased 3-fold over the past 30 years, but improvements way greater than that would be needed. The ICCT report looked at the size of battery, the space it would take up, how much power it could provide, and the % of total plane mass. Some key parameters are the "eb" - the amount of energy stored per unit of battery mass), and the "vb", the energy stored per unit volume). eb is measured in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and vb is measured in watt-hours per liter (Wh/L). Fossil jet fuel has a specific energy nearly 50 times higher than the best lithium battery. Looking at the 4 categories of plane, commuter, regional, narrowbody, and widebody, only the commuter (up to 19 passengers, up to 450km range - ideally not over 200km) could be electrified. .
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Bristol Airport campaigners send video to Canadian teachers over expansion plans
Environmentalists trying to stop the expansion of airports in Bristol, London City and Copenhagen have stepped up their campaign - SOFAX (Stop OTPP Funding Airport Expansion) - with a direct message to the people who ultimately own all those airports - teachers in the Canadian province of Ontario. They have their pensions in the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan - or OTPP. See the video (6mins 30)The campaigns from Bristol, around London City Airport and 3 others around Europe, are directing their campaign at the 329,000 teachers and former teachers who work or worked in state schools in Ontario. They pay money into the OTPP, which years ago bought airports including Bristol and London City, as money-making investments. Both airports are trying to expand, increasing flights and carbon emissions. The new campaign has been organised by the UK’s biggest teachers union - the NEU - along with community and medical campaigners who live around the five airports owned or part-owned by OTPP. SOFAX is appealing to pensioners of OTPP to consider the local health and educational impacts of airports on children, as well as the climate impacts - making life in coming decades more uncertain.
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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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Appeal by Southampton campaigners, against runway extension, refused by Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal has refused an appeal by a local campaign group, GOESA Ltd (Group opposed to expansion of Southampton Airport), upholding the decision by Eastleigh Borough Council that the Southampton Airport runway can be lengthened by 164 metres. An associated blast screen and an expansion of the current long-stay car park are also part of the approved scheme. It is now over 18 months after the runway extension was first approved by the council. In August 2021, campaigners from the Airport Expansion Opposition Southampton group challenged the planning permission in court over concerns that the proposal would increase noise, traffic, pollution and carbon emissions. The High Court rejected the claim. In December 2021, the application was renewed and the campaigners were granted a judicial review. The campaigners argued that the decision to extend the runway was “unlawful” as it was rushed, and skipped essential assessments and formalities. In May 2022 the High Court rejected the JR and ruled that the approval had not been unlawful. Campaigners appealed against this decision. That has now been rejected. There are no further legal options. It is totally at variance with the rapid action needed in the next few years, to cut the UK's carbon emissions.
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Carbon Brief Analysis: UK’s ‘jet-zero’ plan would allow demand for flying to soar 70% – with higher emissions
In a detailed analysis, Carbon Brief looks at the DfT's "Jet Zero" strategy and how realistic it is for UK aviation to continue to expand, based on future technologies. Under the strategy’s plans, the UK aviation sector will not reach net-zero by 2050, but instead will still be emitting 19m tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e). It plans for aviation emissions rising from 38MtCO2e in 2019, to 52MtCO2e by 2050. A range of speculative tech brings the 52 down to 19MtCO2e. For the UK to reach its legal net-zero target, these emissions will need to be removed from the atmosphere. The plans will also see passenger numbers increase by 70% from 2021 to 2050, representing an additional 200 million passengers. The government has no intention of reducing air travel demand - contrary to the advice of the CCC. In its “high-ambition” scenario, the use of "sustainable aviation fuels" (SAF) in UK flights would reach 10% of overall fuel use by 2030 and 50% by 2050. The CCC has said this reliance is a major risk. SAF is currently barely used because, as the government acknowledges, they are expensive and their production relies on technology that is “yet to be proven at scale”.
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Environmental Audit Cttee calls for rapid implementation of key environmental principles in policymaking across Government
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) argues that there is no reason for any further delay to the roll-out of the Government’s Environmental Principles, (integration, prevention, rectification at source, polluter pays and precautionary principles) which are intended to be binding on policymakers across many areas of central government. Including aviation. The Government has been designing its environmental principles for over four years. Now that the requirement on policymakers to observe environmental principles has been enacted in the Environment Act 2021, there is concern that further delay in implementation will risk principles being sidestepped by Whitehall rather than embraced. The EAC is calling for rapid finalisation and implementation of the policy statement presented to Parliament in May 2022. The Government must deliver on its ambition for the policy statement to be finalised and embedded across government policymaking, by autumn of 2022. The UK was previously obliged to follow environmental principles in the EU Treaties, and is still bound by a number of international agreements on environmental protection. Brexit offered a significant opportunity to shape the implementation of environmental principles to domestic circumstances.
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EU lawmakers to stop biofuels, that compete with food, from fuelling planes
The European Parliament has barred the use of controversial biofuel feedstocks, including intermediate crops and palm oil by-products (PFADs), from Europe’s aviation "green" fuel mandate (ReFuelEU). Environmental NGO, "Transport & Environment" (T&E) has asked the 3 main European institutions – the Parliament, the Council and the Commission – to keep the momentum going by excluding the last remaining problematic feedstock – animal fats (of the third category) – in their upcoming negotiations in September. Matteo Mirolo, T&E aviation policy officer, said: “Sustainable aviation fuels should have no link whatsoever to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and increasing food prices.” Excluding these feedstocks from the definition was an important step to avoid devastating consequences for the climate. But animal fats remain included in the definition of what constitutes a green fuel in Europe. Animal fats are by-products of the animal slaughter process. They are used in competing industries, creating shortages in sectors that already use them. T&E support the use of electro-fuels.
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Letter from Zack Polanski (Chair of London Assembly Environment Cttee) to Gatwick’s Stewart Wingate,
The Gatwick consultation ends on 27th July. In a letter to Gatwick's CEO, Stewart Wingate, Zack Polanski (London Assembly Member and Chair of London's Environment Committee), sets out reasons to oppose the planned expansion of the airport. He says aviation in the UK already adds around 10% of the country's climate impact, compared to around 2% as the global average - indicating how much British people fly. The proportion of people who (before Covid) flew in any one year is about 50%, which is far higher than the global average. The Climate Change Committee has said that a restriction on air travel demand is needed. So any airport expansion is completely at variance with that. There are no realistic technologies, available in the next 20 - 30 years, to enable a large amount of zero carbon flying. It just won't happen. "Airlines are out of control; they fail to meet even basic climate targets and are marking their own homework." The Mayor of London has said: “I fail to see how any airport expansion can be justified, being incompatible with achieving the UK’s net zero target”. Expanding Gatwick will worsen air pollution, and road and rail congestion, with negative effects on London as well as locally.
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Heathrow makes a loss in first half of 2022; debt increases; RAB increases
Heathrow airport has reported a £321m adjusted pretax loss for the first half of the year after weeks of lengthy queues and flight cancellations, with passenger numbers back at near pre-pandemic levels. It recently had to announce a daily cap of 100,000 passengers until early September. It estimated that airlines were lacking about 30% of ground handling staff compared with before Covid. The airport said it did not expect to pay any dividends to its shareholders for the rest of the year. Heathrow's revenue in the 6 months to 30th June was £1,280 million, compared to £348 million in 2021, and £712m in 2020, and £1,461m in 2019. The £231 million loss in 2022 compares with a loss of £787m in 2021, a loss of £471m in 2020, and a £153m profit in 2019. Heathrow's Regulated Asset Base (RAB), on the size of which it can levy passenger charges, was £18,425m in 2022, compared to £17,474m in 2021, £16,516m in 2020 and £16,598m in 2019. Heathrow Finance plc consolidated nominal net debt was £15,561 million in 2022, compared to £15,440m in 2021, £14,932m in 2020 and £14,361m in 2019. ie. it has risen a lot.
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Government remains committed to airport expansions
In its Jet Zero Strategy, which is all the UK has in place of a proper aviation policy, the government will continue to support “justified” airport expansions while - claiming it is working to "make the UK’s aviation sector net zero by 2050." While there are no realistic means of cutting aviation CO2 emissions, at any scale, for decades to come, the DfT wants to continue to encourage more air travel. The means of purporting to cut aviation emissions, without actually cutting the amount of CO2 that comes out of jet engines, are using alternative (allegedly lower carbon) jet fuels, by carbon capture and permanent storage (that is not going to happen at any scale any time soon) and some tweaks to aircraft design. The DfT will continue to support airport expansions as it has “a role to play in realising the benefits for the UK through boosting our global connectivity and levelling up”. It believes that the existing policy frameworks for airport planning “provide a robust and balanced framework for airports to grow sustainably within our strict environmental criteria”. A true case of "sustainable growth" being a nonsensical oxymoron. The only way to limit UK aviation emissions is fewer flights, and fewer air trips. One way to assist that would be not expanding any airports.
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Inadequate Jet Zero strategy criticised by environmental groups and even pilots
The DfT has produced its "Jet Zero Strategy" which is the nearest thing there is to an aviation policy for the UK. Though, as that, it is entirely inadequate. Leading environmental groups - Green Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Possible, Transport & Environment and AEF - have explained why the strategy is ineffective, in cutting future aviation CO2 emissions. The Climate Change Committee's annual report, published in June, found the aviation industry (also agriculture) is unprepared for meeting the UK's legally binding climate targets for "net zero" by 2050. The Jet Zero strategy needs to have detailed policy proposals on how its ambitions will be achieved, with specific policy mechanisms to create incentives for the development and deployment of zero emission aircraft and sustainable aviation fuels. It should have a detailed decarbonisation pathway that achieves genuine carbon reductions before 2035, not only after then. It needs to have a plan to curb air passenger demand, as novel and untested technological solutions - on which the strategy largely depends - cannot be relied up. Even BALPA, the pilots' union, has said the strategy places too much faith is future technologies, that may not deliver.
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DfT publishes “Jet Zero Strategy” … “so passengers can look forward to guilt-free travel”
The DfT has published its "Jet Zero Strategy", such as it is. For net emissions, not all emissions. Predictably, it does not propose realistic cuts in aviation carbon emissions, nor any measures to reduce air travel demand. The Strategy says: "We are introducing a CO2 emissions reduction trajectory that sees aviation emissions peak in 2019. [39.6MtCO2]. This trajectory from 2025 to 2050, is based on our "High ambition" scenario, and sets ambitious [sic] in-sector targets of 35.4 MtCO2e in 2030, 28.4 MtCO2e in 2040, and 19.3 MtCO2e in 2050." The level was about 18MtCO2 in 1990. So it will take 30 more years, to get them back to the 1990 level (by which time, the UK should - miraculously - have become "net zero". The strategy makes no mention of air travel demand management, which would be the simplest and most effective mechanism to cut emissions. Instead there are hopes of tech solutions of all sorts (none that could become commercially viable for decades) and the intention to have a mandate for jet fuel to contain 10% SAF by 2030. Problem with that is "sustainable aviation fuels" have their own considerable carbon and environmental downsides. The aviation industry will be happy - they can keep on growing ...
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Protesters at Farnborough as Government launches deeply inadequate “Jet Zero Strategy”
Earlier in the year, the DfT had a consultation on its "Jet Zero" proposals. At the Farnborough air show, it has now announced it Jet Zero Strategy. Predictably, it does not propose realistic cuts in aviation carbon emissions, nor any measures to reduce air travel demand - as had been recommended by the Climate Change Committee. Yet Jet Zero supports the unconstrained growth of flying and airport expansion. The strategy has been criticised by independent experts and climate campaigners for its failure to include any measures to limit demand for flying. Instead, it takes a high risk approach of assuming that emissions reduction will be achieved solely by the introduction of alternative fuels, new technologies and widely discredited offsetting. The strategy allows for UK aviation emissions to continue to rise, rather than the drastic cuts in all greenhouse gas emissions that are urgently needed, by 2030. Protesters went to Farnborough, to mark the launch of the (non) strategy, with the slogans "Pigs Might Fly" and "Green Aviation = Flight of Fancy."
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High Court rules UK “net zero by 2050” plan is too vague, with no clear policy pathway
The high court has ordered the UK government to outline exactly how its "net zero" greenhouse gas (GHG) policies will achieve CO2 emissions targets by 2050. Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and the Good Law Project had made a legal challenge about the government’s vague climate change strategy, as it lacks the necessary policies to achieve its targets. Now Justice David Holgate has ruled that the plan is unlawful, regarding government obligations under the Climate Change Act. The government does not know how various individual policies could contribute to achieving the legally binding climate target, and therefore could not properly assess the plan's credibility. Judge Holgate said a detailed and quantified explanation of how the policies would achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050 was important for holding ministers to account and for “transparency”, for everyone to understand. He ordered ministers to publish an updated strategy by the end of March 2023. The Climate Change Committee has aid there was “scant evidence” of delivery against the high-level target, with major policy gaps in key areas - such as aviation.
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Travel chaos won’t bother Heathrow, “the ATM with runways attached”
Heathrow has been highly profitable for its owners, which include Ferrovial, the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, and USS, the British academics’ pension scheme. Since 2012, the owners have taken £4 billion in dividends (but nothing in 2021 and only £100m in 2020)— and Heathrow is still valued at more than £17 billion. But it has £16 billion of debt to boost the returns. These amazing economics are due to the antiquated way Heathrow is regulated. Because it’s a monopoly, for long haul flights, the CAA sets its returns, using the "regulated asset base" (RAB), and decides what it can charge airlines on the back of that. But this encourages the owners to throw as many costs as they can on to the RAB. Inflating Heathrow’s value means they get paid more. So wherever it can, Heathrow gold-plates spending - with everything costing as much as possible. Much of Heathrow's income comes from passenger charges, which were £19 pre-Covid; the CAA allowed a temporary increase to £30; and they now have to fall back to £26 by 2026. Heathrow has been described as "a cash machine with a couple of runways attached." At least it now seems the 3rd runway is unlikely to be built.
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DfT and BEIS backing drone routes, delivering packages – sometimes medicines or post
The DfT and BEIS have announced (at the Farnborough air show) government and industry funding for a range of aviation-related projects. The aim is partly to reduce the carbon emissions of some sorts of flights; also to boost the UK in global competition; and to create tech jobs in the UK. One of the ambitions is for the UK to have the "world's largest automated drone superhighway within the next 2 years." Skyway aims to connect Reading, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Cambridge, Coventry and Rugby, by drone "superhighway" routes, by mid-2024, and will receive more than £12m. There are also plans for links to Scottish islands and the Scilly Isles. Trials have been taking place over the past few years, and some items to be carried by the drones might be medications and post. The technology utilises ground-based sensors installed along the highway which provide a real-time view of where drones are in the airspace. There will be safety concerns, and probably noise concerns along the routes, which are not yet established. It is thought that people accept noise intrusion better, if they know the noise is being emitted for a justifiable reason.
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The madness of cutting down forests to grow food crops for supersonic aircraft biofuels
Dan Rutherford, shipping and aviation director at the ICCT (International Council for Clean Transportation, in the US) has set out the nonsense of United Airlines attempting to convince people that flying supersonic could be "low carbon" or "sustainable." United have said they intend to buy 15 supersonic jets, and fly them using 100% "low carbon" fuels. Dan's calculations show that, as well as fuels produced from renewably produced electricity being implausible at scale, fuels derived from crops of any sort would have high lifecycle carbon emissions. Already, crazily, in 2020, the US devoted about a third of its corn and soybean harvests to production of ethanol and biodiesel for road transport. The volume of jet fuel United would want for its (very high fuel consumption) supersonic jets would require millions of hectares of agricultural land, competing with food crops and driving up the price of food globally. United also has another 860 or so other planes, which it might try to fuel with novel fuels. And so called "sustainable aviation fuels" (SAF) derived from plants would probably, at best, reduce CO2 emissions by perhaps 27% compared to conventional jet fuel. Just say no to the "supersoynic" renaissance.
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Government’s brief airport landing slot amnesty ended on 8th July
The government’s short, one-off “amnesty” on airport slots rules, that started on 21st June, came to and on 8th July. The relaxation policy was announced by transport minister Grant Shapps and aviation minister Robert Courts on 21st June, to help airlines deliver a “realistic summer schedule” to minimise disruption and avoid last-minute flight cancellations. Airlines did not have to use 70% of their slots, which is the usual requirement. Airlines cancelled a lot of flights, as they did not have enough staff. Some relinquished slots may have been used by airlines that had better staffing. Airlines will now have to use 70% of their slots, or lose them. The level had been 80% before the pandemic. The necessity of using slots means a higher chance of airlines flying almost empty planes - with high unnecessary CO2 emissions. In March an MP got information from the DfT and CAA, to a parliamentary question, revealing that there had been almost 15,000 “ghost flights” (ie. with under 10% of passengers) that took off from the 32 UK airports between March 2020 and September 2021.
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Delayed Heathrow flights making sleep ‘impossible’ for surrounding areas
Residents living under Heathrow’s flight paths are being kept awake until after midnight by an increase in late arriving and departing night flights due to disruption across the aviation sector. Planes are being allowed to arrive and depart later than planned. In theory, Heathrow has no scheduled departures between 10.50pm and 6am, or scheduled arrivals between 10.55pm and 4.40am, but take-offs and landings occur within those periods - especially if planes are delayed. Flight punctuality has plummeted in recent months as airlines and airports have been unable to cope, due to lack of staff. Overflown residents are given little respite, with flights at 12.30am and then at 4.33am. There are the inevitable problems of those wanting planes to climb faster, so at higher altitude over many suburbs - but meaning more noise for those nearer the airport. People across a very wide area are being negatively affected by the night noise, which means that local communities are facing greater disturbance. The industry has no intention of reducing night flights. For decent health, adults need 7 hours of sleep each night - or more.
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“I have zero sympathy for victims of travel chaos – ban international flights”
As a contrast to the extensive, continuing press coverage of the difficulties of air passengers, who have been delayed at airports etc, a refreshing opinion piece, by writer Donnachadh McCarthy sees things differently. He says: "Sorry, but I have zero sympathy for the so-called victims of the chaos at our overwhelmed airports....To be fair to the two million Britons who flew abroad during the recent mid-term break, many may not understand how criminal their holiday flights actually are, with our media keeping people in carbon illiteracy. ... 4 return tickets to California cause the emission of about 9 tonnes of CO2. That is about the same as 12.5 years of electricity use by an average UK household. The 4 tickets to the Canaries would be 6 years. To New Zealand, 28 years. ... While [DfT] press releases are dripping with the word “sustainable”, they really mean sustainable in terms of increasing profitability and passenger numbers, not for climate." ... Until global CO2 emissions have fallen by 45by 2030, governments need to now ban all holiday flights, other than those needing to visit family on compassionate grounds.... Either we are serious about the climate crisis or we should admit we do not give a toss and we will fiddle and fly whilst the planet burns."
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Dutch environmental groups suing KLM for its misleading, greenwashing, adverts
Environmental groups are suing the Dutch subsidiary of Air France KLM over an advertising campaign that they allege breaches European consumer law by misleading the public over how environmentally "sustainable" its flights are. Dutch campaigners Fossielvrij NL, supported by environmental law charity ClientEarth and Reclame Fossielvrij, have filed the first lawsuit alleging greenwashing in the airline industry in the District Court of Amsterdam. KLM wants to persuade its customers that it is working hard to cut carbon emissions, while in reality doing practically nothing, and aiming to grow flights and emissions. Campaigners have launched hundreds of climate change-related suits against companies, governments and authorities to try to fight an escalating climate crisis. Campaigners want to stop KLM's 'Fly Responsibly' adverts, saying they violate the Dutch implementation of the EU's Unfair Consumer Practices Directive by giving the false impression its flights will not exacerbate the climate crisis.The Dutch court will decide whether the case can proceed before KLM has to file any defence, ClientEarth said.
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London City Airport consultation on plans to increase passenger numbers from 6.5 million to 9 million per year
London City Airport has a consultation (ends 9th September) about further expansion. It wants to increase passenger numbers from 6.5 million to 9 million per year. It wants to end the ban on flights on Saturday afternoon and evening; and operate more flights during the first hour of operation after 6.30am, and also in the late evening. The annual cap on the number of flights permitted will remain at 111,000. Earlier proposals to raise it to 151,000 have been dropped. The 8 hour night period with no flights will also remain in place. The airport will stipulate that only the "cleaner, quieter " planes (ie. in theory, slightly lower carbon emissions, and slightly less noisy) can fly during the additional hours of operation. Hacan East says these planes will be noticeably quieter but only on departure and only within about 4 miles from the airport. The difference is negligible elsewhere. There will be "more flexibility" (ie. allowing later flights) for delayed departures and arrivals in the last half hour of operations each day (10pm – 10.30pm) – they are currently limited to 400 per year. There will be larger planes (ie. noisier), to increase the annual number of passengers (most are now leisure).
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Gatwick Airport northern runway plans will add traffic that Surrey roads ‘cannot take’
Tandridge District Council's planning policy committee is concerned that the planned expansion of Gatwick airport (bringing their standby runway into routine use) will put too much strain on the roads around the airport. Councillors consider that the roads "cannot take" the extra traffic that will come with changes to the airport currently being proposed. Gatwick currently has a public consultation about some aspects, especially roads, of its growth plans. Most roads in the area, that would become busier, would not see any improvements. Gatwick claims that in 2019, its busiest year, it had 46.6million passengers and a record 47.4% of passengers and 40% of staff travelled to the airport by public transport including by rail, bus or coach. A Tandridge officers' report said the council was required to respond to various initiatives within legally set time frames. The report said: "The local implications of proposals surrounding Gatwick Airport are significant." Campaigners around the airport have a large number of concerns about more flights, more or altered flight paths, congested trains, more noise, more night flights, more air pollution and higher CO2 emissions, for the expansion.
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CAA confirms it wants Heathrow landing charges to fall from £30.19 to £26.31 for next 5 years
The CAA, as expected, has released its Final Proposals for the "H7" price control (5 year) period which runs from January 2022 - December 2026. The CAA is now undertaking a consultation on the proposal to which Heathrow, the airlines that use it, and others will respond. The CAA will consider the feedback it receives during this consultation before making a final decision on the H7 price control, which is expected later this year. The CAA has said that the average maximum price per passenger that airlines will pay Heathrow will fall from £30.19 today to £26.31 in 2026. (Heathrow was allowed an interim increase earlier this year, due to Covid issues). When the effects of inflation are removed, this is equivalent to nearly a 6% reduction every year (ie. down £1.87 in the first year, etc) from today’s level up to 2026. Heathrow has claimed huge losses due to the pandemic, and that it wanted the higher landing charge, to help recovery. But the CAA considers the return of high passenger numbers - that has been faster than anticipated - will bring in sufficient money into Heathrow, for its spending and investment requirements. The higher landing charge is not needed.
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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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Luton Rising apparently sinking as auditors resign
Local group, Ladacan, has found that the 2021 accounts of Luton Rising (the company that owns the airport, and is owned by Luton Council) reveal serious problems. The statement by company secretary Mark Turner that PricewaterhouseCoopers have resigned as auditors does not inspire confidence, in a company now burdened by eye-watering debt. The resignation follows a serious disagreement between the auditors and the directors over the valuation of the Airport. PricewaterhouseCoopers’ independent assessment put it in the range £835 to £1,300m, and they disagreed with the Luton Rising valuation of £1,488m. This is due to disagreement over the discount rate used in calculating the future value of current investment, and also about the impact of concession earnings. Luton Borough Council’s own auditors, Ernst and Young, have also been raising serious concerns during their efforts to sign off the Council’s own accounts. The valuation matters because of concerns about whether the money invested in the Luton DART light railway, under construction, will be recouped. There are concerns about whether Luton Council will have to provide yet more public money to the airport, and the lack of proper openness of the airport-council link.
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Government allows a temporary summer “amnesty” on airport slots rule, to help the industry
The Government has announced a temporary “amnesty” on the airport slots use rule, to prevent last-minute summer flight cancellations. The new regulations will allow a one-off “amnesty” on airport slots rules, enabling airlines to plan ahead and deliver a realistic summer schedule. This is being provided as an exceptional measure while industry makes progress in recruiting necessary staff. Recently, as the aviation sector got rid of so many staff during the first year and a half of the pandemic , it now has trouble finding workers willing to put up with the pay and conditions. So many flights had to be cancelled at short notice, and slots could not be used, to the lack of staff. The government will now give airlines a short window to hand back slots for the rest of the summer season that they are not confident they will be able to operate. Slots that are handed back would be available for other airlines to use in the current season before being returned to the airlines that normally own them in the next season. Due to Brexit, the UK no longer has to abide by EU slot rules.
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Heathrow hopes 54.4 million passengers, or 67% of 2019 levels, will now use the airport this year,
Heathrow is now forecasting that 54.4 million passengers, or 67% of 2019 levels, will now use the airport this year, up from the 52.8 million it predicted in April. Heathrow expects its adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to rise 257% from 2021 to £1.37bn. Revenue is forecast to double to £2.6bn. In general, staffing and energy costs are about 45% of an airport’s operating costs, and Heathrow has said higher energy prices will drive up its operating costs by almost half to £1.2bn this year. In January it forecast its underlying earnings would be £1.04 billion. But the airport is aware of many factors that may reduce air passenger demand this year, including the cost of jet fuel, the cost of living crisis, the UK inflation rate (currently over 9%), the war in Ukraine and Covid perhaps returning. Airlines continue to have staffing problems, and now BA staff are intending to strike. Heathrow's finances remain very fragile.
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Aviation industry wants large scale government “incentives” to hugely ramp up SAF
The aviation industry only really has one way to cut its carbon emissions, without hugely cutting the number of passengers and flights. That is changing fuels, to allegedly "sustainable aviation fuel" (SAF). Those fuels can basically be produced from one sort of waste or another, or by using surplus renewably generated electricity (which is already in demand by other sectors). So what constitutes a genuine waste as feedstock, that is not competing with food or doing other environmental harm? Making fuel from domestic waste is hard. Taking crop and forestry wastes brings other environmental problems, such as the definition of waste being stretched too far. Then there is "used" cooking oil, and the problem that much of the oil is in fact virgin oil, that has been deviously branded as used. And there are animal fats and greases, such as beef tallow. Leaving aside the obscene concept of raising sentient animals, in poor conditions, to produce meat, then taking the fat from these sadly abused beings to burn in jet engines. There are many other markets and uses for animal fats, such as tallow. The industry, hell bent not only maintaining the current level of global flying, but increasing it, wants a range of government help and incentives to produce more SAF.
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Faroese salmon farming company buys own plane, to fly its fish to the US
The salmon farming industry is hugely environmentally damaging, due to the food fed to the fish, the spread of fish parasites like sea lice to wild salmon, the pollution of the sea under the salmon cages, and much more. But the industry makes money. Currently Scottish salmon is flown to Heathrow, and then flown around the world, eg. to the US. They also farm salmon in the Faroe Islands (the islands where they annually slaughter dolphins) and export this to the US. Now one company has bought its own Boeing 757 plane, in order to fly its fish direct to the US, avoiding Heathrow. It is claiming this reduces its carbon footprint ... Air freighting farmed fish just combines some of the worst sorts of environmental harm, to nature and to the irreversible breakdown of the global climate system. Fish is often flown around the world. The industry is keen to increase this air freight, in order to open new markets overseas, to sell ever more. As well as salmon, tuna and lobster is often flown across the globe rather than being frozen or super-chilled for transport by ship. Live Canadian lobsters are flown to Shanghai, Chilean salmon to New York, and Norwegian salmon to Japan.
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Small Spanish airline hopes to make Airlander airship flights in several years
Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), a small Bedford-based company, announced on Wednesday it had signed a deal to provide a Spanish airline - Air Nostrum - with 10 of its 100-passenger Airlander 10 helium-filled airships. HAV claims the airships will produce less than 10% as much CO2 as conventional planes, and they might be flying by 2026. Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, said the commissioning of the Airlander showed that the UK was "at the forefront" of “revolutionary” greener aviation technology. There is plenty about British skills and British jobs. The airline, which currently operates flights for Iberia, did not state which routes it expected to operate the Airlander. HAV has previously said it expected to fly from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca in four-and-a-half hours. The domestic routes mentioned could be travelled by train. The £25m Airlander 10 prototype undertook 6 test flights, some of which ended badly. It crashed in 2016 on its 2nd test flight, after a successful 30-minute maiden trip.
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Gatwick slightly reduces summer capacity due to problems with insufficient staff
Gatwick will reduce its summer capacity to ward off potential chaos, after there were dozens of last-minute cancellations for holidaymakers over the platinum jubilee and half-term holiday. It will limit the number of daily take-offs and landings to 850 in August – about 50 more than the average in early June, but more than 10% below its pre-pandemic maximum. EasyJet operates more than half of Gatwick slots, and will have to review its plans.The DfT and the CAA told the industry to ensure that flights on sale were “deliverable”, and called on airport chief executives to set up working groups with airlines and ground handlers to minimise the risk of summer disruption. A review by the airport found a number of companies would still have a severe lack of staff resources over summer, which would probably leadt o delays and cancellations. Schiphol, another large European base for easyJet, was expected to make a similar announcement, limiting total daily passenger numbers this summer. The airline sector got rid of thousands of staff due to Covid, many of whom have found preferable jobs elsewhere.
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New smaller Gatwick consultation, largely on road changes, before its 2023 DCO application
In autumn 2021 Gatwick held a consultation on its plans to use its northern, standby, runway as a full runway, for routine use for departing aircraft (not arriving) – alongside the main runway. The expansion plan means having to reposition the centre line of the standby runway, moving it 12 metres north. The 2021 consultation was not the Development Consent Order (DCO) application itself. Gatwick hopes to get consent to start the first stages of the runway process by 2023. It is now consulting again, (start 14th June - ends 27th July) on a few aspects of its plans, not the whole thing. This new consultation is largely about road changes, and Gatwick says some of the proposals have been amended, due to responses to the earlier consultation. Gatwick plans a significant redesign of the original plan for the North Terminal junction; the addition of a new lane westbound over the Brighton main rail line; and the addition of a third lane westbound to the A23 approaching Longbridge roundabout. There are also some proposals relating to car parking (slightly fewer than before); more hotel rooms than previously; and a new office block. Gatwick hopes the new runway could be operational by summer 2029.
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Aviation campaigners from across Britain call on government to stop all airport expansion plans
GALBA (the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport) and 24 other airport campaign groups across the country send an open letter to Robert Courts, Minister for Aviation, and Michael Gove, Minister for Levelling Up and Communities, calling on ministers to re-think their policy of supporting an unconstrained growth of flying. The campaigners want the government to immediately stop all plans to expand airports to help the UK cut its greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and as quickly as possible. The letter echoes advice from independent experts and national environmental organisations. Due to global heating, we are at an unprecedentedly dangerous moment in human history. Every sector of the economy must halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 if we are to preserve a liveable planet for future generations. They urge the government to stop supporting unconstrained aviation growth and airport expansion plans, until aviation emissions are actually falling and wider emissions are on track to keep global heating to no more than 1.5C.
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Bristol Airport expansion case highlights loopholes in national climate policy,
The Bristol the campaign group against the airport's expansion, BAAN, has successfully secured an appeal hearing at the High Court, this coming autumn, where a judge will consider whether a decision to allow the airport to expand was lawful. Lawyers bringing the case want to emphasise that the cumulative climate impact of many airport expansions across the country is not being considered properly. Currently the UK has no airports policy, and no proper policy on aviation carbon emissions. As well as this omission, planning law looks at the emissions from the airport activities on the ground, ignoring the CO2 emissions from the planes, and flights facilitated by an enlarged airport. Climate and carbon issues are set at a national level, enabling the Planning Inspectorate (PI) to ignore impact of specific airports. If BAAN is successful the airport's planning permission would no longer be valid. The PI would need to take the judge’s ruling into account when making the decision again and possibly re-run parts of last year’s inquiry. That would set a precedent.
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New study: Expanding the EU ETS to non-European flights would significantly reduce aviation CO2
A new analysis, commissioned by Carbon Market Watch and Transport & Environment (T&E), shows the expansion of the scope of the EU’s Emission Trading System (EU ETS) for aviation could bring several environmental and economic benefits without significantly increasing operating costs for airlines. The study showed that including flights to areas outside the EU would lead to significantly higher emission reductions, create more balanced pricing between low-cost carriers and legacy airlines and generate higher EU ETS revenues that can be used to decarbonise aviation, all with limited costs for airlines. Currently, only intra-European Economic Area (EEA) flights are included in the EU ETS proposal, but the study shows that expanding the scope to all departing flights, not only European, would result in 50% more emissions reductions. Including all departing and arriving flights could lead to reductions113% greater than the EEC’s proposal. The cost would be minor, compared to the total operating costs of airlines - some 3.4 to 5.5% more, or a maximum 6.8% more. This would be far more effective in limiting CO2 than the feeble international CORSIA scheme.
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Anglesey to Cardiff PSO route scrapped by Welsh government – with the money going to public transport
The Welsh Government has scrapped its North to South Wales funded, PSO funded, air service, between Anglesey and Cardiff, saying it will instead use the annual £2.9m public subsidy to improve integrated public transport. The route had been suspended since March 2020 and will not be re-started. The Welsh Government said pre-Covid some 77% of people using route did so for work, but that a shift to hybrid and home-working has cut demand. There is far less demand for business flying. Instead the money saved from running the service will be used to improve public transport in north Wales. This will benefit more people and help reach the Welsh net zero target by 2050. The decision follows an independent study commissioned by the Welsh Government into the carbon impact of the service on the environment. It said this shows the service had a more negative impact on the environment than any other form of travel between Anglesey and Cardiff. Often travel by rail was actually faster, door to door, than by plane.
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UK government in court over ‘unlawful’ and ‘irresponsible’ net zero climate strategy
Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth and the Good Law Project are going to the High Court (8th June) to challenge the government about its "net zero" strategy, which is both “irresponsible” and “unlawful”. The groups say the government’s plans are in breach of climate law as they omit vital details and “completely fail” to show how targets would be met. It is the first time the government has faced a legal challenge to its net zero strategy, which was formally published in October. The strategy outlines how the UK is supposed to emit no more carbon in 2050 than it did in 1990. It proposes various measures including the construction of more nuclear power stations, restoring peat, encouraging walking and cycling, hydrogen as fuel and CCS. But the strategy does not detail emissions reductions each proposed policy is meant to achieve. They argue this means it is unclear if the initiatives can deliver on the targets the government is legally required to meet under the Climate Change Act. So without the details, government progress, with the targets in Carbon Budgets, can not be checked adequately. There is nothing in policy or realistic targets for aviation carbon.
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Client Earth joining legal action against Dutch airline KLM for greenwashing
ClientEarth and 2 Dutch organisations are taking legal action against Dutch airline KLM, over misleading marketing that promotes the sustainability of flying. Instead of the only action that will actually cut aviation carbon emissions - fewer flights - the industry pretends that it can continue to grow, using novel technologies, mainly different fuels. KLM's marketing campaign attempts to convince consumers otherwise, giving a false impression of the sustainability of its flights and plans to address the climate harm of flying. The legal action focuses on KLM’s Fly Responsibly ad campaign and its offers for customers to buy carbon offset products to reduce the impact of their flight by funding reforestation projects or KLM’s purchase of biofuels. If KLM doesn’t comply with demands to cease greenwashing, the lawsuit will argue that its campaigns and carbon ‘compensation’ schemes are misleading its customers, and violate European consumer law. Instead of giving them real information about the carbon impact of a flight, KLM’s marketing undermines the urgent action needed to minimise climate damage, giving the impression that all is OK, and flying can continue - and be guilt free.
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Report says airport capacity constraints and demand reduction on flying needed to hit UK net zero target
A report by low carbon energy consultants Element Energy (EE) analysing the UK government’s ‘Jet Zero’ strategy to hit net zero aviation emissions by 2050, with interim reduction targets for the 2030s, concludes the scenarios are over-optimistic. The report concludes that measures to limit demand for air travel would be more effective and less risky as a means of reducing carbon emissions. EE estimates the aviation sector will need to cut emissions faster and deeper in the near term than the government is currently projecting. The report argues that the government’s plans overestimate the likely improvements in operations, technology and alternative fuels, along with out-of-sector solutions such as engineered GHG removals, and are unlikely to be developed at the speed and scale necessary. An obvious way to limit growth in air travel demand is to stop airports expanding, at least until there are proven, workable ways to fuel aircraft without emitting carbon or creating contrails. It is highly risky to depend on unproven, speculative technologies to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.
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New review of cerebral consequences of environmental noise exposure – including plane noise
A group of scientists, mainly in Germany, have done further studies on the impact of noise on health. This includes aircraft noise, as well as noise from roads, railways, wind turbines and general background noise. They say there has been more research on cardiovascular impacts, but little on brain and "associated neuropsychiatric outcomes." These impacts include depression, anxiety, cognitive decline and risk of strokes. As with the impacts on the cardiovascular system, the mechanism of damage may be the involvement of reactive oxygen species/oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways. The authors looked at a number of studies, some on mice. The results are unclear, but indicative of the negative impact of noise - perhaps especially the intermittent but loud noise from aircraft - is potentially damaging. The impact may be worse when aircraft noise exposure is in addition to other noise sources. Anecdotally, the mental health impacts of depression and anxiety, for vulnerable people, from inescapable plane noise, at home, are well known. .
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Gatwick to start new 6 week consultation, on its expansion plans, on 14th June
Gatwick airport says it will start a new statutory public consultation into its plans to turn its northern, standby runway into a full runway for departing flights. The 6-week consultation will run from 14th June to 27th July. The airport says the consultation will also have updates, including on the highway design changes, from the Autumn 2021 consultation, based on responses received. Full details of the revised plans for the roads around the airport will be published at the start of the consultation. There are changes to the plans for the North Terminal junction, and additional road lanes in two places. The main expansion proposal is to reposition the centre line of the northern runway by 12 metres, so planes can use both runways at the same time (though only departures from the northern runway). There are the usual claims about jobs and economic benefits ... The only mentions of the carbon emissions are how, magically, more flights are going to help the airport "meet its goal of zero airport emissions before 2040." Amazing. [That, of course, excludes the 10 million extra annual passengers]. They hope the runway could be operational by summer 2029.PRESS RELEASE: London Gatwick
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Government policy document “Flightpath to the Future” – hand in glove with aviation industry, for more growth
The UK government has published a new statement on aviation, called "Flightpath to the future: a strategic framework for the aviation sector" - medium-term strategic framework for the UK aviation sector. It is a 10-point plan that "supports the Department for Transport’s vision for a modern, innovative and efficient sector over the next 10 years." The DfT wants the sector to be "successful." The plan is focused on growing a "sustainable" sector; it wants airport growth "within our strict environmental criteria." (sic). It wants to help the consumer by cutting ticket prices. Nowhere is there any substantive ambition to reduce carbon emissions, other than aspirations to deliver "on our aspiration for zero emission flights across the UK this decade. We will also seek to deliver our ambition for 10% SAF to be blended into the UK fuel mix by 2030". It demonstrates how closely the DfT and the aviation industry are aligned. There is nothing concrete on noise. It is far more interested in the convenience of air passengers, the financial success of the sector, and numbers of jobs, than environmental impacts.
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New “Travel Smart” campaign asks businesses to reduce their air travel and report on progress
A new T&E (Transport & Environment) ranking of corporate air travel shows that some companies are reducing the amount their staff fly, but most are not doing enough. The ranking, launched as part of T&E’s new Travel Smart campaign, grades 230 US and European companies according to eight indicators, relating to emissions reduction targets, reporting and air travel emissions. The analysis, which includes 39 UK businesses, sheds light on the significant efforts certain UK businesses have still to make to reduce their corporate travel emissions. Some companies make no specific effort to reduce business travel emissions, nor disclose their air travel emissions. Many companies can be as effective and even more efficient by flying less. Cutting down on business travel makes financial sense for companies. The Travel Smart campaign, launched with a coalition of 12 partners, asks companies to commit publicly to an absolute target of at least 50% reduction in flying compared to the 2019 level, by 2025 or sooner; to implement reductions in flying and choose other modes of connectivity and transport; and to report on progress towards decreased emissions.
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Mr Justice Holgate has refused permission for JR of Southampton airport expansion
Southampton Airport won planning permission to extend its runway in April. Now a High Court judge, Mr Justice Holgate, has dismissed campaigners' claims that the planned extension of Southampton Airport's runway would be unlawful. GOESA Ltd (Group Opposed to the Expansion of Southampton Airport) was set up after Eastleigh Borough Council gave permission to extend the runway by 164m (538ft) in April 2021. It said the council was wrong to approve it and in justifying it. But now Mr Justice Holgate declined the group's claim for a judicial review. If the runway is extended, the airport will be able to handle larger planes, carrying more passengers - the type of planes used by EasyJet or Ryanair to take people on sunshine holidays to Mediterranean beaches and European short breaks. If GOESA does not appeal, then the runway construction can begin. The airport would likely start that next winter, to be ready for the 2023 season.
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Government not keen on a frequent flyer levy to replace APD
There have been many requests to government to consider a frequent flyer levy, by which people could have one leisure flight per year with no tax, or little tax – but every subsequent flight would pay successively more tax. So someone going on their 5th or 6th flight of the year would be paying a […]
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