Caroline Lucas letter to Telegraph: Cameron's inconsistency on aviation
13 October 2009
In a letter to the Telegraph yesterday, Caroline Lucas drew attention to David Cameron's inconsistency on airport expansion:
David Cameron's attitude to aviation growth shows once again that although he might like to try to talk "green", he has no real intention of acting green.
It would seem clear to most that emissions are dangerous wherever they occur, but for Mr Cameron it seems it depends which city you build your airport next to. Yet pledging to stop Heathrow's third runway in order to help cut greenhouse gases, while simultaneously promoting the growth of regional airports despite the corresponding increase in greenhouse gases, simply doesn't make sense.
It would also be useful if BAA's long-term vision could extend beyond who it expects to win the next general election. There is a growing consensus that the world must cut CO2 emissions by a minimum 80% from 1990 levels by 2050. Sooner or later this will translate into a much higher price for carbon, and surely the aviation industry doesn't
expect to be forever exempt from paying its way?
Indeed the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution pointed out years ago that aviation growth was being driven by artificially low prices, thanks to the huge tax breaks given to the aviation industry. As the effects of climate change become more severe - and already the UN is saying those effects include 300,000 premature deaths and $125bn worth of economic damage every year - we can expect the international community to become more concerned to keep air transport at a sustainable level. And yes, we can expect the price to go up and demand to fall. So perhaps BAA should move on from its current short-termist wishful thinking about perpetual cheap oil, and start diversifying its business into sustainable alternatives.
Yours sincerely,
Caroline Lucas MEP
Green Party leader
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