Following on from the much-read MCFly report on the Airports Commission’s recent jolly in Manchester, here are links to two worth-reading articles about aviation

First up, Michael Traut , who researches on Shipping, Aviation & Climate Change
at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research (University of Manchester). He forwarded his blog to us, making the point that he does not wish to support any cause or views other than the ones expressed in what I’ve written.” In his piece, which is well worth a read, he drily points out

“Both assumptions, on the availability and the carbon efficiency of biofuels for aviation, are on the very optimistic end of the spectrum. These three wedges bring emissions in Sustainable Aviation’s scenario down to 115% of their level in 2010. At this point, carbon trading is invoked to reduce “net emissions” from 115% to 50%. While the first three wedges are optimistic scenario assumptions, the fourth is unreasonable. According to the climate change act, all other sectors have to cut their emissions by more than a factor of 5, and the mainstream opinion is that this is a rather steep challenge. So which sector would reduce its emissions even more, to create allowances for aviation to snap up? The report doesn’t say. Instead, the carbon market looks a bit like Rumpelstiltskin’s crafty brother, spinning emissions to gold.”

and then there’s Mr Monbiot , on form…

Hoisting 180lbs of human flesh 30,000 feet into the air and 4,000 miles across the ocean every time you want to talk to someone: does that sound like 21st Century technology, or a 20th Century throwback?

The lobbying power of well-established industries will always be greater than that of new or emerging businesses. So one of the impacts of lobbying is to keep dragging us back into the past. There is no better example than the demand to build new airports and new runways. Sold to the public with the promise of progress and modernity, their impact is to retard technological change….