October, 25 2016, 11:30am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Friends of the Earth Scotland Press Office
T: 0131 243 2715 (24 hr media phone)
E: chughes@foe-scotland.org.uk
Heathrow Third Runway Will Damage Climate
Reacting to the news that UK Government has chosen in principle to support the building of a new runway at Heathrow Airport, Friends of the Earth Scotland Director Dr Richard Dixon commented,
"Supporting a new runway at Heathrow is incompatible with serious action on climate change. Emissions from aviation are already 7% of the UK total and another runway will lead to more flights and increasing damage to the climate.
"Any increase in emissions from more flights into Scotland would have to be compensated with even sharper reductions in other sectors of the economy.
"Heathrow cannot possibly deliver on all the jobs and economic benefits it has promised. Their public relations onslaught across the country and at party conferences has fooled many of those who should know better.
"We need to get realistic about an aviation industry that has for too long escaped any serious action to cut its climate impact. Governments should instead be making serious investment instead in train and bus networks linking key cities across the UK."
Nic Ferriday, spokesperson of West London Friends of the Earth commented,
"A third runway will mean an extra quarter of a million flights a year and will make noise and air pollution levels intolerable, unacceptable and probably illegal.
"But those of us on the ground left to suffer the consequences of Heathrow expansion also care about the impact that so many more flights will have on climate change. We will fight it every step of the way."
Friends of the Earth fights for a more healthy and just world. Together we speak truth to power and expose those who endanger the health of people and the planet for corporate profit. We organize to build long-term political power and campaign to change the rules of our economic and political systems that create injustice and destroy nature.
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