Climate justice

Flying in the face of the poor - Aviation and climate change

The UK government is now presenting itself as the world leader on climate change, but it is failing to take the action needed in a whole range of areas, of which flying is the most blatant. Aviation makes up 10–15 per cent of the UK’s contribution to climate change, and is our fastest growing source of emissions. Yet the Department of Transport is planning for a doubling of air travel between 2002 and 2020, which would more than cancel out the reductions expected from all other sectors. WDM urges the government to stop further growth in emissions from UK aviation - the key litmus test of its commitment to tackling climate change.

Aviation tricky questions

This briefing asks and answers a number of 'tricky questions' about the relationship between aviation and climate change. In doing so this briefing is a useful reference and summary of the issues surrounding aviation with respect to climate change.

Dying on a jet plane - The UK government, aviation and climate injustice

This report looks at the aviation sector’s contribution to climate change. In 2005, aviation accounted for 6.3 per cent of the UK’s CO2 emissions. Given the extra warming effects of non-CO2 emissions from aviation, aviation’s share of the UK’s contribution to climate change is higher still. It is predicted that CO2 emissions from UK aviation will more than double by 2030 and treble by 2050. The UK government is committed to limiting the increase in global temperatures to 2°C on pre-industrial levels. A 50 per cent chance of achieving this requires a global emissions cut of 70 per cent by 2050 and 75 per cent by 2100. Given the UK’s per capita emissions, a cut of 85-90 per cent by 2050 is needed. This is impossible at the current rate of aviation growth. Government action on aviation should therefore be a critical part of the battle against climate change.

Climate change and development - Parliamentary briefing on climate change and its impacts on development

Climate change is the greatest crisis facing humanity and it will hit the poorest people of the world the hardest. Rich countries like the UK are historically responsible for most of the carbon dioxide built up in the atmosphere, but it is the poor people in these poor countries, who contribute the least to this problem, who will suffer the most severe consequences. This briefing, released in the run up to the climate change bill, therefore highlights the developmental impact of climate change to MPs.

Climate change calendar - The UK's unjust contribution to global climate change

Climate change is the result of human actions. The evidence shows that the impact will be felt most by the poorest people in the world. The Climate calendar is a new way to look at the issue of climate change; who is responsible for it and thus who must take the lead in delivering the solution. The calendar shows the injustice of the UK’s use of carbon emissions. The impacts of climate change are clear; what is needed now is the campaigning to ensure the impacts are minimised. The climate change threat is so big and so urgent that politicians cannot be given any excuses for not acting. It is up to the masses of the people to campaign for a transformation to a low carbon British economy in order to see that global justice is done.