Local Group urges Gordon Brown and Cornish MP’s to stop ignoring aviation

Cornwall Friends of the Earth has urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Cornish MP's to stop ignoring aviation today (Saturday 5 April). The group wants the Government’s new Climate Change Law to cover all sources of carbon dioxide emissions, including the UK’s share of emissions from international aviation and shipping.  Local MP's will have the opportunity to vote on the law when it is debated in Parliament later this month.   All Cornwall's MP's have signed an Early Day Motion calling for a strengthened bill, and Cornwall FoE believes they should logically also lobby their Liberal Democrat county council peers to abandon Newquay airport expansion plans which are at odds with the Bill's objectives.

Cornwall County Council wants to see a massive increase of passenger numbers of up to 2.1million In twenty years time.

Cornwall Friends of the Earth is taking action as part of a national day of action in support of The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth’s campaign for a strong Climate Change law.

Friends of the Earth has led the campaign for a strong Climate Change law through The Big Ask.  The law, which is set to be introduced this summer, is groundbreaking but needs strengthening if the UK is to play its part in tackling climate change.

The Government’s proposed law does not count the UK’s share of emissions from international aviation and shipping.  Friends of the Earth believes it’s ludicrous to pretend these emissions don’t exist, and unfair to treat aviation and shipping any differently to other sectors of the economy. The Government already publishes figures on aviation emissions and there is no practical reason why they cannot be included from the outset.  A way of including shipping emissions should worked out as a matter of urgency.

Aviation is a fast growing source of carbon dioxide emissions.  Government figures published in January 2008 showed aviation accounts for 6.4 per cent of UK carbon emissions [1]. The impact of aviation emissions is double that of carbon dioxide alone because of other gases that planes pump out at altitude [2]

The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth climate campaign is calling on Cornish MP'sto vote for a strong climate change law that:

•    Includes the UK’s share of emissions from international shipping and aviation

•    Commits the UK to cutting its emissions by 80 per cent

•    Ensures steady progress by cutting emissions by at least 3 per cent a year

Cornwall Friends of the Earth spokesperson and local resident Sarah Wright  said:

“It’s crazy for Gordon Brown to leave out climate changing emissions from planes and ships from the new Climate Change Law but that’s what he is doing. Why should our local industry and businesses be held to account for their carbon emissions but not the aviation industry?  We hope Liberal Democrat MP's across Cornwall will use their vote to call for a strong Climate Change law that covers all emissions and send a message to the county council that expanding aircraft emissions is an act of utter lunacy ”

Friends of the Earth’s Day of Action on Saturday 5 April will be one of many inspiring events taking place during the Climate Change Bill Week of Action coordinated by Stop Climate Chaos/I Count from 30 March to 5 April demanding a tough Climate Change law.

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NOTES TO EDITOR

For more information about the photo opportunity and to arrange interviews see contact at top

[1] Government figures published in January 2008 showed aviation accounts for 6.4 per cent of UK carbon emissions. www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics

[2] Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (2002). The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight (see www.rcep.org.uk/aviation.html).

5th April 2008