New Guidance on Climate Change and Noise

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BASHR3 wonders whether whether third runway is an outdated idea

Brentford’s anti-3rd runway group, BASH, says the government can no longer ignore the climate change impact of expanding Heathrow.

This autumn, a landmark report was published by the IPCC saying global warming must be limited to 1.5°c if we are to avoid the worst extremes of climate change. The report advises that ‘far-reaching transitions in energy, land and urban infrastructure including transport’ are needed. The government’s independent advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, stated in 2016 that aviation emissions must be at 2005 levels by 2050, but this new report demands a scaling-up of efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions in all sectors.

The WHO has also recently revised their guidelines on noise.  Acceptable levels of noise from transport, including aircraft, have been significantly reduced in recognition of the growing body of evidence that environmental noise can cause serious psychological and physical harm to health.

Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford & Isleworth and spokesperson for BASH, commented as follows:-

‘It’s hard to believe the government is still planning to go ahead with expanding Heathrow. The need to rapidly and radically cut our greenhouse gas emissions has been voiced by the highest scientific authorities. On top of this, we now have even more evidence of just how badly aircraft noise can affect people’s health. Surely this is the point when such a proposal starts to look like an abdication of responsibility?’ 

December 5, 2018