Gatwick - 2nd runway would be environmental threat (Mole Valley Liberal Democrats)

Mole Valley Liberal Democrats <info@molevalleylibdems.org.uk>

Gatwick - 2nd runway would be environmental threat

December 4, 2009 3:17 PM

Gatwick Airport has a new owner. The new owner, unsurprisingly, would like a second runway as soon as possible after the present embargo runs out in 2019. However, a report on climate change and aviation recently published by Gatwick Airport explains the airport's responsibilities toward climate change as follows:

Climate change is a serious global issue and is one of the greatest threats facing the world today;
In the UK, CO2 emissions from UK aviation doubled between 1990 and 2000 while the combined activities of the rest of the UK reduced by about 9%;
The UK has the has the highest volume of (aviation) CO2 emissions in Europe.

This means that Gatwick, according to its own report, is one of the biggest polluters in the South of England.

Liberal Democrats Councillor Iain Murdoch says, "This is why Liberal Democrats agree -

'GATWICK RUNWAY - NO WAY'

It is simply too destructive of our environment and we must not let it happen."