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Aviation industry must be taxed
3 March 2003
Aviation should be taxed more heavily to constrain growth in air travel and avoid the need for more airport capacity, says a leaked draft of a report by leading think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research. The report is due to be published next month.
Aviation has an enormous impact on the environment. It causes air and noise pollution, extra traffic, habitat destruction, ozone depletion and is the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas.
Last week (24 February) the Prime Minister said [1] that climate change was "unquestionably the most urgent environmental challenge". He also unveiled plans for a big cut in greenhouse gas emissions: "we will agree the Royal Commission's target of a 60% reduction in emissions by 2050. And I am committed now to putting us on a path over the next few years towards that target."
Friends of the Earth's aviation campaigner Paul de Zylva said:
"We fully support calls for the aviation industry to be taxed at a fair rate. At the moment it gets away scot-free. Last week Mr Blair talked about the need to "embed" sustainable development "at the heart of policy making". This month's Budget gives him the perfect opportunity to show he means it. If the aviation industry paid for the enormous damage it causes to local communities and the environment there wouldn't be the need to expand our air capacity."
Notes
1. see: www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page3073.asp
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
