13th July 2007

Cheltenham Greens to challenge Cheltenham Borough Council over their failure to end plans to expand Gloucestershire airport which they co-own.

John Heywood, Coordinator of the Cheltenham Green party, will ask the Borough Councils Scrutiny committee at their meeting on 18th July how the borough council is balancing their recognition of aviation as "the fastest growing sources of CO2 emissions" against the proposals to extend the runway of the airport (and according to its chief executive, seeking to expand its business)? And how does the balanced view of the borough council fit with the general aims of the climate change strategy (i).

John Heywood said: "We have seen widespread calls by scientists to make 90% reductions in CO2  emissions. Growth in flights cannot be sustainable however you look at it. Aircraft are amongst the most CO2 intensive methods of travel and CO2 emitted at altitude increases global warming by up to a factor of four. If aviation is allowed to grow at current projections it will account for all permitted greenhouse gas emissions - across all sectors - by 2045."

John Heywood said: "The airport suggests that expansion will benefit our local businesses and economy yet responsible businesses are looking to reduce their flying by video conferencing and other methods. This Council should not even consider supporting irresponsible businesses. Cheltenham's Climate Change Strategy was a positive and important initiative showing the Council takes climate change seriously: to allow the airport to expand would make a mockery of the strategy. Already the people who are being hit hardest by climate change are among the poorest on earth."

John Heywood added: "It is not fair or honourable to suggest, as some have done, that the airport expansion must be allowed because the automatic alternative is that houses will be built in the green belt.  Of course there are other alternative uses for the airport land, such as agriculture, horticulture or allotments, or some sort of mixed development. The main thing is to start drawing a line on greenhouse gas emissions wherever we can. Staverton must not increase its CO2 emissions, when every other business in Gloucestershire is being told to cut theirs significantly."

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