London Heathrow Airport

Aviation is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gases leading to climate change.

Heathrow Airport contributes a third of the UK's aviation emissions. Flights from Heathrow already pump as much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere as five million cars every year.

Yet the Government's aviation expansion plans include building a third runway at Heathrow.

This will mean a 70% increase in passengers by 2030. It will make the UK's targets on climate change virtually impossible to meet.

Biggest ... but not best

Heathrow is the world's busiest international airport.

It is also one of the world's most poorly sited airports. It was built in a heavily populated area and is surrounded by houses on three sides.

Planes fly overhead 24 hours a day causing serious health and social problems.

• Noise 
  Over half a million people are exposed to noise levels over World Health Organisation standards.
• Air pollution
  Thousands of people suffer air pollution exceeding EU health limits.
• Danger
  Planes flying directly over people's homes make Heathrow one of the most dangerous airports in the world.
• Traffic
  Heathrow generates more road traffic than any other development in the UK.
• Homes  and heritage
  A new runway would destroy over 700 homes, whole villages, a church and a fine medieval barn.

Find out more about the local impacts of Heathrow expansion.

Press for Change

Sign the petition against the expansion of Heathrow

Resource

Pie in the Sky
(PDF† - 419K) Sep 2006
Summary report (PDF† - 66K)
This briefing shows how the economic costs of aviation expansion outweigh the benefits claimed by Government and the industry.

Aviation in a Low Carbon EU
(PDF† - 1.27MB) Sep 2007
Summary report (PDF† - 295K)
Research by the Tyndall Centre at Manchester University shows how inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS will have little impact on growing aviation emissions.

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

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Main image © Nick Cobbing/Friends of the Earth