Eco-Aviation Channel

UK transport head defends third runway at Heathrow with conditions

By Geoffrey Thomas
Eco-Aviation Today, October 12, 2009, p.5

UK Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis defended his decision to allow a third runway to be built at London Heathrow against a challenge from the Committee on Climate Change (see item below) in a speech to the UK Aviation Club last month.

Highlighting the importance of aviation, Adonis said, "Over the last hundred years aviation has democratized travel, opened markets, spread trade and connected countries, people and communities as never before. However, there are obviously difficult tradeoffs in determining the appropriate facilities and support for aviation. It is not easy to balance the demands of personal freedom, economic benefit and environmental impact and we must be frank about this."

He mapped out the UK's preferred strategy thus: "There is now a broad consensus that it is possible to reduce aviation emissions over time while also accommodating reasonable growth in air traffic movements. Underpinning this consensus is "a global framework to cap emissions and set a price for carbon," introduction of low-carbon technologies as rapidly as possible, more fuel-efficient operations coupled with sustainable use of biofuels, "better integration between aviation and low-carbon transport modes" and increased use of high-speed rail for "medium-distance journeys."

He defended the UK government's air passenger duty tax, pointing out that "it recognizes the crucial importance of supporting the industry in its efforts to cut aviation's carbon emissions and currently provides tax relief of 130% on research and development investment in the UK to encourage companies to undertake environmental research and provide funding for a number of research programs."

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