Airport expansion is climate fantasy, say campaigners

CLIMATE campaigners have accused bosses of “smoke and mirrors” over plans for a major expansion of Newcastle International Airport.

- DANIEL HOLLAND Local Democracy Reporter

Newcastle International Airport

The airport wants to extend its runway and offer flights to more destinations, under proposals which it says will almost double passenger numbers to nine million per year by 2040 and generate £1.9bn for the North East economy.

But activists opposing the expansion claim that the economic growth will not outweigh the environmental harm caused by running more flights.

Climate Action Newcastle and the Aircraft Noise Action Group have called on local councils, which own a 51% stake in the airport, to demand “independently validated evidence” that increased flights would sustainably boost the region’s economy and not help “derail the UK's legal commitments to decarbonise”.

The airport said that sustainability is “at the heart of our plan”, as it seeks to reach net zero emissions by 2035 through measures such as expanding its solar farm and planting new woodland.

However, it excludes emissions from flights taking off and landing from its net zero calculations and only includes factors over which it has more “direct control” - such as heating and electricity for the airport itself, staff commuting, and passenger journeys to and from the airport.

The airport's 2040 masterplan estimates that its current carbon footprint related to flights is equivalent to more than 51,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, while all other factors combined produce only 29,000 tonnes.