Nothing slows the planes when they promise income. Neither the climatic crisis driven by CO2 emissions – also those of the aircraft. This Wednesday, The expansion of Heathrow airport received full support from the British government. The prime minister, Keir Starmer, had rejected the project when he was in the opposition and came to congratulate the activists who stopped the initial plan in court.
After the project to enlarge the Madrid-Barajas airport, the expansion of the large London aerodrome-environment among which the most gas emissions cause in Europe comes. In addition, the idea of expanding the Prat from Barcelona has resumed air after decaying for environmental reasons. The new President Catalan, Salvador Illa (PSC), has placed it as a priority.
The prospect of growing the economy (not only in Britain) thanks to the pull of air traffic has become irresistible. “Growth is our number one priority. It is more important than to leave a net zero [las emisiones de CO2]”, Said British Minister of Economy, Rachel Reeves. Reeves announced on Wednesday the support of the airport project before a group of executives: “I have always been clear that a third track would unleash more growth, boost investment and increase exports.” His boss, Keir Starmer, had written in 2020: “There is no more important challenge than climatic emergency. That is why I voted against Heathrow expansion. ”
Aviation already has an uncontrolled growth problem. At this rhythm, in 2049, even with the sustainable fuel mandates (SAF), both fossil and 2023 querosene will continue to be burned in 2023
Bosco Serrano Valverde
– Responsible for sustainable fuels for aviation and maritime transport & Environment
In Spain, flight growth is adhered to the idea of economic bonanza. Airport activity grows and grows: they had 309 million passengers in 2024, 9% more than the previous year. Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas airport was the one that registered the most volume with 66 million, a 9.9%growth. Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat grew even more, reaching 55 million passengers (10.3% compared to 2023), Aena reported. Was An absolute record of international passengers in Spain, which exceeded the 100 million barrier.
The company argues that “sustainable growth in airport, economic and environmental terms of airports contributes to the generation of wealth and use of territories.” Its president, Maurici Lucena, has recently said that decarbonization – eliminating CO2 emissions – requires “strong economic growth and productivity.”
In exchange for those figures, Barajas issues about 7.8 million tons of CO2 a year. And the prat another 3.9 million approximately, according to The calculation that Airport Tracker does. Heathrow, meanwhile, launches 19 million tons to the atmosphere. Climate at the Airport Tracker, Sarah Colenbrander, who contrasts the “dysfunctional state suffered by the British rail system”.
The chief economist of the New Economics Foundation, Alex Chapman, tells Eldiario.es that “not only will it be incredibly harmful to the climate, but that it is undergoing the credibility of Great Britain in terms of climatic struggle.” According to his analysis, “everything that is saved in CO2 emissions for government electrification plans by 2030 can get rid of five years of expanded airport operations.”
On the economic impact, he argues that this impulse will not occur to growth because “most air traffic is a vehicle to bring British tourists out, not for business trips. This damages the economy of the areas that are outside the London area and the southeast of England. ”
Privileged sector
However, the idea of expanding airports with a view to gaining GDP, despite the climatic risk, is consolidated (in Spain, tourism represents 13% of national wealth). Aena plans to enlarge up to 13 airports to “ensure that they are sized to house future demand.”
“The aviation sector already has a serious problem of uncontrolled growth,” analyzes the head of sustainable fuels for Aviation and Maritime of Transport & Environment, Bosco Serrano Valverde. To the current rhythm, “in 2049 there will be a 59% increase in fuel consumption. Even with sustainable fuel mandates (SAF) established in the EU, both fossil and 2023 ”will continue to be burned.”
Along these lines, the 2023 greenhouse gas emission inventory in Spain reflects that the national total fell 7.6% compared to the previous year. All sectors reduced CO2 injected into the atmosphere except one: internal aviation, which grew by 8%.
CO2 emissions of the airplanes are not mentioned in the Paris Agreement against the Climate Change of 2015. The measures of the air sector so far to cut the greenhouse gas they launch They are not on the right pathaccording to the International Energy Organization (OIE), which asks for more efforts in new fuels, new aircraft designs and “demand restriction”.
These projects do not improve the daily mobility of the population. Those who use air transport are a minority. There is no social demand to expand airports, but responds more to the search to expand mass tourism
Pablo Muñoz
– Responsible for Transport in Ecologists in Action
Last January 15, the CEO of IAG, Luis Gallego, He said in the spain investors day that “aviation has to be decarbonized or we will not exist.” But, then, he admitted that the new generation of airplanes, “that can last 20 or 25 years, is far from the zero net emissions.” In fact, he stressed that “a half radio hydrogen plane will take a long time [verlo]and by long radio it will be very difficult for us to see it in a reasonable time space. ” Gallego opted for sustainable fuels (SAF): “There is no. We must stimulate production. ”
The person in charge of transport in Ecologists in Action, Pablo Muñoz, adds an element to the damage to the climate: health. “Airports are large air pollution generators that cause diseases. Also of noise for tens of thousands of neighbors. ”
The environmentalist reflects: “These projects do not improve the daily mobility of the population. Those who use air transport are a minority. There is no social demand to expand airports, but responds more to the search to expand mass tourism, with the associated problems that this creates in cities and territories. ”
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