Sir David King, the Government’s own Chief Scientific Adviser, repeatedly says that climate change is at least as great a global threat as terrorism.
Air transport’s radiative forcing does probably three times more damage to the atmosphere than carbon emissions according to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. Laudably the government aims to reduce UK carbon emissions to 20% of 1990 levels by 2010, and yet refuses to take steps to curb air travel, which on current trends is doubling every 15 years – airfreight faster than passenger traffic. Short-haul flights are the most damaging. 11% of the population make 50% of all flights. Airline research shows that 75% of cheap flights are made by those in A & B income groups.
They could afford the imposition of taxes on aviation fuel which would regulate the market. The principle is that the polluter pays. God entrusts the care of his good creation to those made in his image. The challenge to Christians claiming faith in him is to think more than twice before booking flights. Avoid short-haul flights. Is our time more precious than the future of our grandchildren? May we, at least for leisure, limit ourselves to one long-haul return flight a year?
Canon Christopher Hall
This piece is based on a seminar on Air Transport at St John's Waterloo by Prof. Paul Ekins of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, Professor of Sustainable Development, University of Westminster
The idea of limiting ourselves to one long haul flight per year is so arbitrary. Some of us don't need to make any flights in a year. Probably most of us. So many people try hard with the little things and then in a way blow it all in a few hours flying. It's like an eating disorder where someone starves most of the time and then binges, except even our starving is more like a little restraint. It's better drive around in a 4 x 4 all year and not travel by air if we don't drive huge distances.
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