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