Who on earth thinks it’s a good idea to expand airports in a climate crisis?
It’s 2024, and our government is still considering expanding polluting airports. Eight leading climate organisations — including Possible, Friends of the Earth, and Greenpeace — are urging the UK government to pause all airport expansions, particularly two decisions for Luton and Gatwick which are coming up urgently.
In an open letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, we are warning that these expansions would drive up a whole range of emissions which harm our climate - and jeopardise the UK’s ability to meet its legally binding Net Zero targets.
Airport expansion plans rely on outdated policies, which were written before the UK committed to Net Zero in 2019 and don’t include emissions from international aviation. With aviation already one of the fastest-growing sources of emissions, allowing these expansions would be a huge step backwards, benefiting only the wealthiest few who fly frequently.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has been clear: airport expansions should only happen if the aviation sector can show it’s cutting emissions. That hasn’t happened. In fact, the government is betting on unproven (or non-existent!) solutions such as alternative fuels and zero-emission aircraft to fix the problem. But these technologies aren’t ready, and come with their own huge set of problems —and the climate clock is ticking.
Economic arguments for airport growth don’t hold up either. Corporate air travel is declining, and the growth we’re seeing comes from leisure flights—taken disproportionately by a small, wealthier segment of the population.
The message is clear: the government must hit pause on these decisions and bring aviation policy into line with climate science and the CCC’s advice.
Alethea Warrington, Head of Aviation, Heat, and Energy at climate charity Possible, said:
“The new government should be laser focused on effective policies to tackle the climate crisis. It is therefore mind-blowing that we are now facing the serious risk that further airport expansions will be approved.”
“Airports' plans to expand benefit only their shareholders and airlines' profits, encouraging the small proportion of the population who fly often to take even more frequent holidays, at the expense of our climate.
“If the UK is going to fulfil our climate commitments, we need to say no to polluting, high-carbon projects like airport expansions.”
You can read our full letter to the Secretary of State for Transport here.
We promise that we will keep working hard to build pressure for the UK government to act, but we can only do it with your help.