Cutting Airport Infrastructure to Cut Flyers' Emissions

4 July 2010 - 11:00am

British officials are looking to help their efforts to curb carbon emissions by capping growth on airport runways that they say encourage "binge flying".

The government has long stated its goal of reducing carbon emissions, especially those related to air travel, but had still encouraged the growth and expansion of the airport infrastructure that encourages that travel.

"Citing the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions from aviation, Prime Minister David Cameron, a Conservative, abruptly canceled longstanding plans to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport in May, just days after his election; he said he would also refuse to approve new runways at Gatwick and Stansted, London’s second-string airports.

The government decided that enabling more flying was incompatible with Britain’s oft-stated goal of curbing emissions."

Source: The New York Times, July 1, 2010
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If hundreds of people in your community raised reasonable concerns about a planning program you developed, how would you respond? Perhaps you might call a community meeting, or ask community elected officials to reach out to community leaders.