Local Lib Dems have been looking into how much aviation contributes to our total Co2 output.
In 2003 the government published its Air Transport White Paper, which encouraged the UK's aviation industry to continuously expand its capacity to 2030 and beyond.
In 2008 the government passed its Climate Change Act, which included international aviation and shipping into its calculations of reducing our Co2 output by 80% of 1990 levels.
A study, commissioned by the Government and conducted by Manchester Metropolitan University calculated two projections for the UK's international aviation emissions (http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=GA01060_3754_FRP.pdf).
It concluded that if we allow our airports to expand in line with the 2003 white paper, then by 2050 international aviation will contribute between 86% and 128% of our total carbon budget. If we were to take the average between these two projections, we would arrive at 107%.
If we were to continue on our present course of airport expansion, aviation alone would bust our carbon budget, leaving nothing left for the rest of the economy!
I want the Prime Minister to explain how we hope to achieve our targets of Co2 reductions if we continue to expand airports such as Manchester, so my colleague, Cllr Martin Eakins, has created an 'e-petition' on the number 10 website calling for this.
We need 500 signatures by the 6th February to provoke an official response - so please join me in signing it and let other know: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/aviation-growth/
There is no reason whatsoever to prevent people releasing carbon (eg breathing) unles the Cataclysmic Global Warming story is true. We all know it is simply a scam by a very few people posing as scientists, given millions to lie by fascist politicians who want more power & money.
ReplyDeleteFortunately in UKIP there is a liberal party to tell the truth.