Government announces approval for Gatwick Airport expansion – Friends of the Earth reaction

Responding to the news that Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has given the go-ahead to Gatwick Airport’s second runway, Rosie Downes, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth, said:

"With emissions from aviation rising as climate extremes increasingly batter the planet with more intense floods, droughts and wildfires, it's a struggle to see how the government can conclude expansion at Gatwick is a wise move.

"The Secretary of State says a second runway is a "no-brainer" for the economy, but the economic case for airport expansion is massively overstated. Any growth in air passengers leaving the country is likely to mean more UK tourists using their spending power overseas than anything we might gain from visitors.

"The UK's green sector was the fastest growing part of our economy last year. Common sense would see the government championing measures that will both improve our lives and protect the planet if it's serious about sustainable growth, such as upgrading the nation's public transport infrastructure. If we're to meet our legally-binding climate targets, today's decision also makes it much harder for the government to approve expansion at Heathrow."