"The Sky Has a Limit: Stop emissions and noise from planes!"
International Action Days on air transport and environment
On October 29th and 30th, nearly 100 environmental and citizen's organisations in more than 17 countries will take part in the third International Action Days on Aviation and Environment. Activities range from blimps and banners to airport demonstrations and roundtable discussions. The Action Days are a means for organisations to voice their concerns about the growing impact of air transport on the environment and people living near airports. Participating countries include: France, Portugal, Sweden, Cyprus, England, Greece, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United States, Spain, Macedonia, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Canada.
Blackwater Valley Friends of the Earth are opposing the plans by TAG Group SA a Luxembourg registered company to turn Farnborough into the business airport of Europe. Over the weekend they will be leafleting the area. The group will also be holding a public meeting on November 9th at Farnborough Community Centre at 20:00. Speakers will include a national FoE aviation campaigner, a local acoustic consultant and the chairman of the Future Farnborough Aerodrome Group.
The Sky Has a Limit
Air traffic affects the environment and quality of life near airports: air, soil and water are polluted and people suffer from noise nuisance and are more at risk for asthma, cancer and other diseases. Air traffic also contributes to climate change. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded earlier this year that air transport's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions could rise to 15% by the year 2050 if no measures are taken to reduce aviation's emissions. The Action Day runs parallel to the United Nations climate conference in Bonn where governments from all over the world will discuss global climate policy from October 25-November 5.
Climate policies should include aviation
Existing global climate policy does not include reduction objectives for greenhouse gas emissions caused by international air transport. In the meantime, continually increasing emissions from air transport are endangering the reductions that are achieved in other sectors. The 'Right Price for Air Travel' alliance of organisations taking part in the Action Day therefore calls on governments to include aviation emissions in their climate policies and to set reduction objectives.
The "Right Price for Air Travel"
The Action Day and the "Right Price for Air Travel" alliance are an initiative of Friends of the Earth Europe, an international network of grassroots environmental organisations. The alliance would also like to see other measures introduced to reduce air traffic's environmental impact, such as (1) a charge on emissions, (2) stricter emission limits for both noise and pollutants and (3) a coherent European-wide policy to control airport development.
For more information:
- Local contact : Rick Kimber, BVFoE, Tel: +44 (0)1252 510424. http://www.bvfoe.freeserve.co.uk
- about the action in UK: Simon McRae, Friends of the Earth (EWNI), Tel: +44 (0)171 566 1670
- about the international actions: Paul de Clerck at Friends of the Earth Netherlands; Tel: +31-20-550733 or mobile: +31-6-51788960 (from October 25-30)