NO AVIATION GROWTH.
NO FALSE CLIMATE SOLUTIONS.
More than 100 organisations worldwide reject ICAO’s “carbon-neutral growth” plans
In October 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) General Assembly took place. This UN-body (which is closely linked with the aviation industry) decided on the aviation industry’s response to climate change. Aviation had been excluded from the Climate Agreement in Paris (COP 21).
Their proposal is unlimited growth in aviation and emissions, combined with offsets. A huge number of civil society organisations believe that this is a recipe for disaster. If it goes ahead, it will put the 1.5 degrees target out of reach. Also, it will rise demand in highly problematic offset projects, like REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation). The aviation industry argues it can continue to pollute by paying others to save forests. But: Those forests need to stay anyways. It’s not one or the other. In order to still counter the dangerous climate crisis we need to protect forests AND stop pollution.
A petition, signed by 50 organisations, including Friends of the Earth International, Attac Europe, World Rainforest Alliance, Ecologistas en Accion, the Indiguenous Environmental Network, and several local initiatives struggling against airport expansion projects, calls for „no aviation growth, no false climate solutions“, and demands a kerosene tax and efforts to invest in sustainable transport.
A civil society letter, signed by almost 100 organisations, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and BUND, rejects ICAO’s plan of offsetting aviation emissions.
During the ICAO conference, several big actions took place against airport expansion projects, among others in Vienna, Mexico City, London, Istanbul, and Notre Dame de Landes (France). The coordinated action week went by the name “Stay Grounded. Aviation Growth Cancelled Due to Climate Change.”
Find the petition here.
Find the Civil Society letter here.
Background information:
>> Fern Briefing Note: Cheating the climate. The problems with aviation industry plans to offset emissions.
>> Filmclip on the ICAO conference and false solutions
>> Info on REDD by World Rainforest Movement
>> Articles on REDD-Monitor
>> Website showing the problems of Offsetting: www.climate-neutral.org