THE GREEN WATCH ➔ Time to air your views on aviation
THE media – TBTM included – has done a good job of making the travel community aware of the environmental cost of flying, writes Roger Gardner. But if you have ever thought of expressing your own views, now is the time to do so as the Department for Transport is consulting on a new aviation policy framework. From day one, the Coalition government dumped the Labour policy that supported additional runways to meet growing demand for flying. Instead it has argued for a system that is ‘better not bigger’ but without yet putting flesh on that policy skeleton. Government will ponder this issue for two years before the white smoke emerges but you have until 30 September to make your voice heard on the matter. A simple question: why bother
to respond? Let's consider some key issues. Aviation is an integral part of modern life and, so far, there has been a pretty good correlation between economic and aviation growth worldwide. As the DfT tells us, about half of
all adults in the UK fly abroad at least once a year and international family connections are increasing the demand for air travel. The business community remains a strong user of aviation, whether to transport people or goods. So far, so good. We want to fly and, given that we live in a global village, the idea of a world with less aviation seems hard to imagine. But there is a rub. In a carbon constrained world – and don’t
think that this is anything but a serious challenge for society – should aviation continue to grow? Aviation may only account for
two per cent of CO2 worldwide but its share is growing and there are
other impacts such as vapour trails that add to the effect on the climate. Local impacts around airports from noise and air quality spark concern and controversy and weigh heavy on politicians’ minds. OK, so air transport could buy its way to growth through emissions trading – buying the right to pollute from
“The quest is a policy framework that provides for the UK’s air travel needs but does not carry unacceptable environmental costs”
other industries that can clean up more easily – and new tech- nologies continue to improve environmental performance. But what share of the UK carbon cake should aviation be allowed to consume? The fundamental issue running through this consultation revolves around the balance between meeting environmental goals and/or increasing growth. Increasing runway capacity remains off the agenda for government but respondents will doubtless make this a big issue. For business, there is a lot at stake as the role and strategic value of aviation to the UK is in the melting pot.
A new policy framework will affect the status of the UK airports system, the importance of London Heathrow as a world hub and how regional connectivity develops. Of course, the government has already pronounced in favour of new high-speed rail connections but how that links to aviation is left in the air, so to speak. And much is said in the consultation paper about making better use of
existing capacity and enhancing the passenger experience, which will resonate with those who travel frequently. It is telling that over half the
DfT consultation questions relate to dealing with global and local environmental impacts. The government seeks views on applying new solutions and the weight it should give to pulling different policy levers, whether economic or regulatory. It is good that the environmental drivers are centre stage in the consultation but the ‘elephant in the room’, future system capacity, is an integral part of a balanced debate. The consultation is a call to arms for the aviation industry, for NGOs and for the research community which will all contribute their own evidence and views. However, the biggest stakeholder
in this debate is the traveller, the UK citizen and the UK visitor. If a durable policy framework is to be delivered then the widest possible engagement is needed. Look at the government’s consultation (
www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/aviation) and make your views known. The quest is a policy framework
that provides for the UK’s air travel needs but does not carry unacceptable environmental costs. Sounds like a tough call? It is, which is why the government needs to know what the country thinks – so tell them.
The Review
WWW.THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM I 55
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104