National transport campaigns: what Friends of the Earth is doing

Friends of the Earth has published a new booklet in its 'Way to Go' series.'Transport: the way to go' outlines the environmental problems associated with our transport systems, and proposes a more sustainable way forward. It includes plenty of practical advice and ideas. You can download it here (PDF - 924k) or get a paper copy by calling 020 7490 1555.

Challenging transport growth

Road traffic has risen by 79% since 1980. By 2008, FoE wants to see a 60% cut in spending on road building, with lower forecast figures for airport passenger growth. Friends of the Earth believes the Government should be spending less on road-building and more on car alternative, and aims to persuade Government to adopt new economic measures to cut climate change and provide funding for public transport. Campaign areas include support for road pricing, congestion charging, increased fossil fuel taxes and aviation taxes. Whilst cars will be part of transport in the future, we need to use them less
and make sure they’re less polluting.

Challenging airport expansion

Aircraft emit gases and particles directly into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere where they have an impact on atmospheric composition. In the vicinity of airports, emissions from aircraft and associated ground transport and infrastructure result in localised air pollution.

Emissions from international aviation shot up by almost 70% between 1990 and 2002, making aviation the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gases. This growing contribution cannot be ignored. Global passenger air travel, as measured in revenue passenger-km, is projected to grow by about 5% per year between 1990 and 2015, whereas total aviation fuel use-including passenger, freight, and military is projected to increase by 3% per year. Improvements to aircraft technology and operational efficiency have not been able to neutralise the effect of increased traffic, particularly in the era of budget airlines and gap years, and the growth in emissions is likely to continue in the decades to come. Environmental taxation could be a means of reducing growth of aircraft emissions by further stimulating the development and use of more efficient aircraft and by reducing growth in demand for aviation transportation.

FoE's recent response to the Government's Climate Change Programme Review, advocates internalising the environmental cost in the price of flying, to reflect the environmental damage it causes and to tackle rising emissions. The aviation industry is currently heavily subsidised and pays no tax on aviation fuel or VAT on new aircraft. Friends of the Earth is challenging the
Government’s push for more air travel and is supporting local communities opposing airport expansion.