Heathrow expansion

If you haven’t already done so, could I make a quick plea for you all to go to the Department for Transport website and fill out the public consultation form about the Heathrow expansion (preferably saying you think it’s a terrible idea 😉 ).

I know it’s very long and involved, you’ll have to read the summary of the report and comment on the individual bits of it, so you might have to set aside 20 or 30 minutes or so, but it’s very important that people who are concerned take the time to do this as well as just signing petitions (although you can do that too), beceuase it makes a much stronger statement when you are prepared to sit down and give a well-thought-out response. The Stop Heathrow Expansion group are also keen for people who don’t live in the areas directly affected to voice their opinion, as, again, it makes a much stronger statement and makes it much harder to dismiss the objections as nimbyism – the effect of the increased emissions will be global after all.

The government claims to want to act on climate change, but is already set to miss its target of reducing CO2 by 20% by 2010. According to the BBC (roughly a year ago), the transport sector contributes 26% of UK carbon emissions, of which aviation was responsible for 70%, but regardless of the exact numbers, there are two very good reasons for not increasing aviation capacity:

1. We are running out of oil.
2. We need to start reducing CO2 emissions NOW and not encourage activity that will produce more.

Even George Monbiot, proponent of the intriguing theory that we can cut emissions by 90% without even noticing any impact on our quality of life, admits that there are no two ways about it on this one and we simply have to stop flying.

There’s a rally at Central Hall in Westminster at 7 pm on the 25th for those who are near enough and feeling a little more hardcore.

The consulatation closes on February 27th.