Why is Leeds Bradford Airport looking to increase the number of flights during a climate crisis - Yorkshire Post Letters

Three years ago the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that the global level threat posed by climate change was ‘a code red for humanity’.

I am not sure what stronger words could have been used to express the emergency we all face.

If we are to continue to have a liveable planet for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren and future generations we need to act immediately to reduce our carbon emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2030. The solution, as almost all of us now accept, is that we need to stop burning fossil fuels.

How then can Leeds Bradford Airport think it is remotely ok to be planning to increase flights over the next few years? Their ‘Vision 2030’ is completely at odds with a net-zero carbon future as their plans will increase carbon emissions from flights by 75 per cent, as well as adding to air and noise pollution. Equally concerning is that Mayor Tracy Brabin seems to think this is ok so has endorsed it.

In doing so she has failed to understand that a strong green economy can, and must, be developed to replace climate damaging industries. Investment is needed for the green economy, not for industries like aviation which is a significant part of the emergency that we face.