Archived press release

Government called on to cancel airport expansion and tackle climate change

18 February 2005

Judge reveals flaws in Aviation White Paper

Friends of the Earth today called on Government to cancel plans to expand airports across the UK and address the impact aviation has on climate change after a High Court Judge found serious errors in the process used by ministers to develop the Aviation White Paper. [1]

Friends of the Earth Aviation Campaigner Richard Dyer said:

"This judgement shows that ministers failed to follow correct procedures in drawing up the aviation White Paper. This is yet more evidence that the Government's aviation policy is flawed. The Government must listen and scale down its expansion plans which pose an unacceptable threat to our environment and communities."

Justice Sullivan said of the White Paper:-

• That the Government "unfairly managed to convey the impression" that a runway extension at Luton had been consulted upon;
• It was "a bridge too far" for the Government to specify the exact location of the proposed second runway at Stansted.

The Judge was also critical of the Government's response to questions about the economic viability of Stansted's second runway.

The Government is not appealing against the ruling, and claim that this ruling gives the White Paper a clean bill of health.

What Friends of the Earth thinks:

This judgment is significant for being the first time that a Government White Paper has been challenged in the High Court. The Judge described as "most unfortunate" [2] that the Government has been secretive about the economic case for a second runway at Stansted. It has taken a challenge by ordinary citizens in the High Court to obtain the full information. This is particularly important as one of the main justifications used to justify the huge environmental impacts of airport expansion are the claimed economic benefits. In addition, the judgment further undermines public confidence in the Government's approach to aviation and airport expansion, which has been criticized on many fronts.

Respected bodies such as Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee, the Sustainable Development Commission and the Lords European Committee have all been critical of the Government's expansionist approach [3].

The High Court hasn't forced the Government to re-issue the White Paper, but Friends of the Earth believes Ministers should use the opportunity of the planned 2006 progress review [4] to cancel their airport expansion plans.

The White Paper progress review should:

• Cancel all new runways. The Government's own modelling has shown that if fair taxation were applied to the aviation industry no runways would be necessary [5].
• Ensure that carbon dioxide emissions from aviation are stabilised or reduced in order that our climate change targets can be met [6].
• Ensure that `the polluter pays' principle is applied to the aviation industry- this Government promised this in 1998 but this promise has not been honoured [7].
• Commit the Government to tackling the unfair tax exemptions on fuel and VAT that are partly responsible for the unsustainable rate of air traffic growth. Air Passenger Duty, the only existing tax on flights has fallen in real terms while Labour has been in power. Friends of the Earth believes this should be increased in lieu of international agreement to remove the other tax exemptions [8].
• Commit to bringing all UK airports within the Night Noise regulatory regime ASAP with a medium term commitment to reduce night noise to World Health Organisation recommended levels

Notes

[1] DfT: The Future of Air Transport (December 2003)

[2] Para 250 , page 89 of Judgement

[3] EAC - "Pre-Budget Report 2003: Aviation Follow-up"

SDC - "Missed Opportunity - Critique of Aviation White Paper"

House of Lords Report - "EU and Climate Change" Nov. 2004

[4] "The Government will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the policies set out in this White Paper. We will report in 2006 on progress." - `Next Steps' the Future of Air Transport (DfT)

[5] `Spasm' computer model re-run see:- `Hidden cost of Flying' (PDF)

[6] see:- [4] EAC report said Planned aviation expansion will render Government targets to reduce CO2 emissions "meaningless and unachievable"

[7] 1998 Transport White Paper said aviation must pay for it's environmental impact, 2004 HM Treasury paper gave £1.4 billion p.a as cost of Climate Change alone (2000), Air Passenger Duty raises £0.8 billion p.a

[8] Kerosene tax for international flights is governed by International Conventions

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust