Airport backs calls for a global deal to be agreed on emissions at Copenhagen climate conference
A global deal on aviation emissions must be achieved at next month’s UNClimate Change Conference in Copenhagen otherwise Britain could be £30bna year worse off and supporting 700,000 fewer jobs.
The bleak warning comes in a new report, "The Contribution of Aviationto the UK Economy", prepared for the Airport Operators Association byleading economists Oxera.
Responding to the report’s launch today, David Johnston, StanstedAirport's managing director, said: "Stansted Airport welcomes this in-depth, independent analysis of theaviation sector and fully supports its conclusions. We believe it's right that aviation's emissions should be addressed byadopting a global approach and back calls by the industry for the UNClimate Change Conference in Copenhagen next month to agree an effectiveand fair deal to achieve this aim. The study once again highlights the significant contribution theaviation industry already makes to the UK economy, and the huge socialbenefits that air travel brings to millions of people right across thecountry. Aviation has an important strategic role in the future economicdevelopment of the UK. We are committed to delivering a programme ofsustainable growth at Stansted so that we continue to maximise thesocial and economic benefits of air travel but at the same timecarefully managing our environmental impacts and recognising the needfor us all to play our part in addressing the global challenge ofclimate change."
The new study has found that the aviation sector represents 1.5% of theUK economy, contributing £18.4bn towards UK GDP and providing jobs for234,000 people. Aviation’s capacity to create wealth has grown by 8.3%,in real terms, since 1995.
