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Gordon's sticky moment with Plane Stupid
Posted by saunvedan on 23 July 2008.
Gordon Brown's been in some sticky situations over his Heathrow expansion policies but yesterday he found himself super-glued to the sticky hand of Plane Stupid activist Dan Glass.
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Sir David King - eco-warrior?
Posted by jossc on 23 July 2008.
The former chief scientific advisor to the government, Sir David King, has been using his new-found freedom from the onerous duties of advising first Blair and then Brown on scientific issues to speak out against against both the expansion of Heathrow and the building of new coal-fired power stations.
According to Sir David, future carbon pricing will mean that "investments in new runways will turn out to be white elephants".
He is also frankly sceptical about the likelihood of 'clean coal' technologies coming to our rescue: "If we can manage [carbon capture and storage] then of course we can continue to use coal to drive our economies, but frankly I haven't seen the proof that can be done. This is still unproven technology, and I think until it's proven, it's dangerous to assume that we can continue to use coal."
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Heathrow third runway: Business secretary John Hutton hints at green light
Plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport are now almost certain to receive Government backing, the Business Secretary John Hutton has hinted.
Greenpeace responds to Hutton on Heathrow
Responding to comments by business secretary John Hutton indicating strong government support for a third runway at Heathrow, the head of Greenpeace's climate campaign Robin Oakley said:
"It seems John Hutton is incapable of opening his mouth without saying something disastrous for the fight against climate change. We can beat global warming, but not by almost doubling the size of the world's biggest international airport. Environmentalists and local residents are of one voice on Heathrow expansion, this new runway cannot and will not be built."
Greenpeace - 0207 865 8255
Greenpeace reaction to David Cameron comment on Heathrow expansion
David Cameron today dropped the strongest hint yet that a future Conservative government would not lend its support to a third runway at Heathrow airport. Addressing a "Cameron Direct" town hall meeting in Brentford, Cameron remarked "I haven't heard any persuasive arguments for Heathrow expansion". The statement is the strongest indication yet that the Tory leader is unconvinced by the economic and environmental justifications used by the aviation industry and the Labour government.
On Thursday the transport secretary Ruth Kelly announced that an imminent decision on the expansion of the third runway was to be postponed until the end of the year, despite repeated government assurances that the announcement would be made this month. The area's MP, Ann Keen (a parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Health) recently broke ranks with the government and announced her opposition to further expansion at Heathrow. Ann Keen's Commons majority is just over 4,000 votes. Cameron's move highlights the threat of a 'Heathrow swing' in a number of marginal West London constituencies.
Commenting on the news, Robin Oakley, the head of the climate change campaign at Greenpeace UK said:
"David Cameron's words are a body blow to the government's case for a third runway at Heathrow. The fact that the Conservatives are not convinced by the economic and environmental arguments being put forward completely undermines the aviation industry's position and casts serious doubt on the future of this project. Just this week Ruth Kelly announced that her decision on Heathrow has been put back until the end of the year, and as each day goes past this proposal looks increasingly shaky."
For more information call the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255.
Small victory as Heathrow’s 3rd runway plans are delayed
Posted by saunvedan on 9 July 2008.
Remember the Paper plane flashmob outside the Department of Transport? Looks like it might have finally woken Ruth Kelly up to the deluge of NOs that have been levelled at her ridiculous expansion proposals and has prompted her to delay a decision on the plans. Obviously she hasn't read the messages thoroughly or else she'd have scrapped plans for expanding Heathrow altogether.
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Government announces delay to Heathrow Third Runway decision – Greenpeace responds.
Responding to Ruth Kelly's announcement that a decision on the expansion of Heathrow airport is to be delayed until the end of the year, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:
"The Government is having a massive runway wobble. Ministers are facing an inevitable legal challenge if they give the green light to Heathrow expansion. An objective assessment of pollution and the impact a new runway would have on our chances of tackling climate change can only lead to a rejection of further airport expansion. A courageous Prime Minister would now stand up to the aviation industry and unite with the people of West London by dropping plans for Heathrow expansion."
For more information please call the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255
Ruth Kelly's written statement can be viewed at http://www.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements....
Heathrow: what do we do if the worst comes to the worst and the government says yes?
Posted by bex on 4 July 2008.
Special Conference on July 26th
In recent news: The Arctic sea ice melt began significantly earlier this year than last year. UK's CO2 emissions higher than official figures, government admits. CO2 emissions up by nearly a fifth in 12 years. Avoiding climate change is affordable, says PWC.
And yet, still, the government plans to build new coal plants and, of course, new runways.
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Paper planes in Heathrow protest
Day out at the Department of Transport
Posted by saunvedan on 3 July 2008.
This week's been busy for me, what with two demonstrations on two different campaigns. After the protest outside the Japanese Embassy, it was the Department of Transport's turn to welcome us. The government wasn't listening when we said NO to Heathrow's third runway last month. So this morning, we flashmobbed the Department of Transport and launched paper planes saying ‘NO AIRPORT EXPANSION' at transport secretary Ruth Kelly's office.
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