The Great Aviation Debate was great indeed.

Go to YouTube for the video clips:
http://www.youtube.com/msshaped
See also Robbie's blog on the Plane Stupid site:
http://www.planestupid.com/?q=blogs/2007/11/16/manchester-climate-debate-report

The debate happened because of the blockade in the domestic terminal at Manchester Airport on 8th October. The action was brilliant in itself because of the direct impact to those flying that day and the media coverage but it was a great acheivement to open up a space for domestic flights and climate change to be discussed.

John Twigg (Airport) and Angie Robinson (Chamber of Commerce) trotted out the predicatable argument about jobs and the right to fly. Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre put this in perspective with the point that globally it is a small minority that exercise their "right" to fly whilst thousands die and suffer hardship due to climate change.

Despite the speakers from the Airport and Chamber of Commerce having time before they spoke to attempt to counter the figures I presented on the economics of aviation, neither of them did. They did not dispute the figures or come up with any additional benefits of aviation:


Nationally Aviation costs us £26.3b in tax breaks, health costs, the tourism deficit and noise reduction plus the unknown costs of climate change (20x the cost of prevention). This compares to £10b benefit to the GDP. Net cost = £16.3b.

UK Aviation is subsidised by £171.65/person. Manchester Council receives £30.42/person dividend from Manchester Airport. Net Cost = £141.23.

Aviation is extremely inefficient per pound spent at job creation. Yes there are indirect jobs created in other sectors, but aviation is not alone in stimulating indirect jobs.Investment elsewhere could create more direct and indirect jobs.

One of the best and most surprising things was that the whole panel agreed that flying was not the right way to get between Manchester and London.

So our challenge to the Airport is to follow this debate with plans to phase out the Manchester to London flights. They've agreed it shouldn't happen so what are they going to do about it?

And if they don't do it, they can expect more direct action...

Manchester Climate Action

The Great Aviation Debate

Thursday 15^th November, at the Friends Meeting House, from 7.30pm.

This event is a live debate over the future of the aviation industry and its contribution toward climate change. Panellists will include

John Twigg, Manchester Airport Planning and Infrastructure Director.

Cllr Vanessa Hall, Green party councillor for Hulme and Manchester Climate Action member.

Angie Robinson, Chief Exec GM Chamber of Commerce.

Robbie Gillet, Plane Stupid.

Professor Calum Thomas, Professor of Sustainable Aviation, MMU.

Dr. Kevin Anderson, Tyndall Centre, Manchester University

The debate will be moderated by Colin Sykes, the BBC’s North-West Environment and Transport Correspondent.

This debate follows a protest by Manchester Climate Action (MCA) at the airport earlier this month (1). By blockading the internal flights security checkpoint MCA activists sought to highlight the contribution of aviation emissions to climate change, and Manchester city council’s role in supporting the expansion of Manchester airport.

Airport authorities condemned the protest, asserting that protestors should have talked to them rather than causing disruption. MCA have arranged this event as a response.

Aviation is the fastest growing source of CO2 emissions. Emissions from UK aviation have more than doubled since 1990 while emissions from all other UK activities have fallen by about 9%. (2) The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research has calculated that - If the UK government follows the scientific consensus that a 450ppm stabilisation level is required, then the aviation sector would exceed the carbon target for all sectors by 2050.’ (3)

Manchester City Council currently owns a 55% stake in Manchester Airport (4), and hope’s to see passenger numbers at the airport increase from 22million per year in 2006 to 40million per year by 2015 (5).

Notes

1. ‘Airport hit by green protest’ http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1018817_airport_hit_by_green_protest

2 Predict and Decide. Oxford University Environmental Change Institute, October 2006

3 Decarbonising the UK. Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. September 2005

4.http://www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=100011&documentID=2544

5.http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2006/09/29/290906_airport_expansion_feature.shtml