Upcoming actions demand flight caps for Europe’s 5 largest airports

• 25 organisations are calling on the EU and governments across Europe to cap air traffic
• The coalition of groups have published a tribune ahead of two days of action in France and other European countries
• The organisations are local residents groups and climate activists campaigning against the five largest airports in Europe: Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Heathrow, Madrid Barajas, Frankfurt Airport, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
• Twenty mobilisations will take place in France on March 13 2024 to demand the Minister of Transport caps air traffic


March 12th – Residents groups and climate activists are calling on the EU and governments across Europe to cap air traffic as part of two days of action across Europe.

25 groups campaigning against Europe’s five largest airports have released a tribune calling for a capping of flights at airports, aerodromes and heliports below the 2019 level, in line with the historic decision taken at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.

The tribune has been released ahead of two days of action taking place on 13th and 15th March. The groups are local residents groups and climate activists campaigning against the five largest airports in Europe: Paris Charles de Gaulle, London Heathrow, Madrid Barajas, Frankfurt Airport, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Research has shown these five airports emit more than the whole of Sweden.

Twenty mobilisations will take place in France on March 13 2024 to demand the Minister of Transport caps air traffic. Following local actions, the associations will meet in Paris for a meeting at the Ministry of Transport on March 15th – an appointment confirmed by the minister’s office – which will be followed by a humorous musical event and speeches at 12:30 p.m. Actions will also be held in other European countries.

In the tribune, the groups also call for stronger curfews to be put in place at European airports.

The tribune states: “We, the victims of airport nuisance and present and future victims of global warming, call on our governments and on Europe to follow the necessary path opened up by the Netherlands by finally taking concrete measures: limiting and reducing the number of flights while ensuring that noise, air pollution and CO2 emissions are also brought down – and generalising curfews at airports, aerodromes and heliports.”

According to predictions from the aviation industry we could see air traffic levels double by 2040. This would hugely threaten both the climate and the health of local residents.

“Aviation is the fastest way to fry the planet“, says Magdalena Heuwieser, spokesperson from the Stay Grounded network. “Taking one flight generates more emissions than many people around the world emit in an entire year. We need to urgently cap flights at airport level. The attempts at Schiphol airport to reduce the amount of flights and ban private jets and night flights need to be applied in Paris and other airports“, she concludes.

PRESS CONTACT:

Lounes Dupeux, Stay Grounded, +33 6 11 67 96 40, lounes@stay-grounded.org

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

• The tribune and actions have been organised by UFCNA and Stay Grounded. Read the full tribune here: https://stay-grounded.org/capping-air-traffic-an-emergency-response-for-health-and-climate/
• Stay Grounded is a network for 215 member initiatives around the world, including community groups surrounding airports, NGOs, and trade unions. The network campaigns for a fair reduction of aviation and for a just mobility system that works for all, now and in the future.
• The UFCNA, French Union Against Aircraft Nuisances, is a national organisation which brings together the main French associations for the defence of the environment, protection of the quality of life and health of residents near airports.
• Mobilisations in France from March 13th and 15th:
  • List of cities where actions are taking place: Nice, Cannes-Mandelieu, Marseille, Lille, Beauvais, Bordeaux, Roissy, Orly, Toussus-le-Noble, Pontoise, Toulouse, Montpellier, Nantes, Aix-en-Provence, Saint-Etienne, Caen, Basel -Mulhouse, Rhône-Alpes, Villefranche-Beaujolais, Le Mans, as well as Liège!
  • An action for capping of air traffic will be held in Paris on March 15 at 12:30 p.m. in front of the Ministry of Ecological Transition, Hôtel de Roquelaure; 246, boulevard Saint-Germain; Paris 7th: https://www.facebook.com/events/925777472614867/