Aviation, economic growth and the climate crisis

What happens when the UK’s biggest issues meet environmental targets and commitments head-on? The Chair of the House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee, Toby Perkins MP, hosts the first of five new episodes from the select committee podcast, Committee Corridor. 

Up first – airport expansion. Simon Calder, travel correspondent at the Independent, joins Toby to consider the UK travelling public’s ‘insatiable desire’ to get away by air and what can be done to manage the impact on local communities and greenhouse gas emissions.

They discuss the Government’s view that unlocking airport capacity will boost economic growth. According to the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander MP - there is no conflict between expanding aviation and delivering on the UK’s legal, climate and environmental obligations. But climate campaigners have launched judicial reviews to challenge the Government’s policy for achieving net zero aviation by 2050 and to halt the Government’s plans for expansion at Luton. 

Transport Committee Chair, Ruth Cadbury MP (Labour Member of Parliament for Brentford and Isleworth) and Environmental Audit Committee member, Sarah Gibson MP (Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham) join Toby to explore how their committees are considering these issues. The Environmental Audit Committee is investigating how airport expansion will impact the UK’s climate and nature goals. Following the Chancellor’s endorsement of expansion at London Heathrow, the Transport Select Committee met to consider if expanding airports in the south east of England can benefit the rest of the UK economy.