Green concerns over aviation plan

By Paul Rincon BBC News Online science staff

Stansted expansion could destroy surrounding woodlandEnvironmentalists are disappointed by many proposals in the UK Government's White Paper on Aviation and say other measures do not go far enough.

Tackling pollution and noise while coping with fast rising demand for air travel is a major challenge.

But the construction of new runways, particularly the one proposed for Stansted, would destroy hectares of ancient woodland, say campaigners.
Air passenger growth is expected to continue at levels of 3-5% per year.

Climate warming

Friends of the Earth claims this will push up the aviation contribution to the UK's carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) emissions to 10-12% by 2020 - from the current 5%.
If these figures prove correct, this may make it difficult for Britain to meet its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce the emissions of those gases thought to be warming the planet.


IMPACT OF EXPANSION ON POLLUTANTS

Heathrow: would affect 35,000 people (exceeding EU limit)
Stansted: would affect 20 people
Source: Department of Transport Already, ministers are having to grapple with how the expected growth in road traffic can be accommodated within the demands of the climate pact.

The group claims the boom in air travel is sustained partly because the aviation industry pays no tax on the fuel it uses and argues that this amounts to a subsidy.
In the long term, Friends of the Earth has been urging the UK Government to commit to a tax on fuel for domestic flights.
A "congestion charge" on airlines would give ministers up to £9bn to invest in public transport and safer streets, according to the group.
In the short term, it has been pushing for the government to increase air passenger duty. But ministers reportedly thought the duty did little to persuade airlines to conserve fuel or cut pollution.

IMPACT OF EXPANSION ON NOISE POLLUTION

Heathrow: would affect 333,000 people (up 26,000)
Stansted: would affect 8,000 people (up 2,000)
Source: Department of Transport Friends of the Earth said some of the alternative economic measures proposed in the White Paper, such as greenhouse gas trading schemes and differential landing charges at airports according to noise levels and air quality, had potential.

But it accused the government of abandoning its environmental responsibilities.
In a statement, Sir Tom Blundell, chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, expressed his disappointment with the White Paper.
"Earlier this year, the government published an Energy White Paper setting out its strategy for tackling global climate change, and set challenging but necessary targets for greenhouse gas emissions.