The Plane Truth - Environmental Impact
Introduction - Economy - Environment
The Government received a record number of responses to the consultation in 2003 and has told the Industry lobby group 'Freedom to Fly' that they should stop going on about environmental arguments because they have already lost them.
Climate change
Aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. 1990 aircraft already contributed about 3.5% to the global warming caused human activity. That is set to soar: whilst technology decreases emissions per flight, the expansion in aviation traffic will exceed the savings made, increasing its contribution to climate change to up to 15% by 2050.
Noise
The impact that most concerns people who live near airports is noise. One in eight of the population could be affected! Most airports can or do operate 24 hours a day. Although most people can get back to sleep after being woken by one plane, they are kept awake by a succession. The government insists that only areas exposed to 57dB suffer from significant noise. The WHO and the EU consider that 50dB represents the onset of 'community annoyance'.
Air pollution
Aircraft emit large quantities of pollution on landing and take-off. The most important pollutants are nitrogen oxides, NOx. At Heathrow, aircraft are the major contributors to NO2 pollution, but around smaller airports other sources, especially road traffic, contribute more.
Road congestion
Plans to increase Manchester airport to the size of Heathrow by 2030 would also create a huge amount of extra traffic and pollution on the M56, A5103 and A538, which are already at capacity.
Knock-on development
Airports generate more road traffic because car parks and roads serving airports get bigger and wider. Airports can also result in the destruction of heritage buildings and valuable wildlife sites, extra runways lead to loss of countryside and greenbelt. Locally, expansion plans may threaten greenbelt Cotteril Clough SSSI.