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<strong>Heathrow</strong>. A new airport for London.<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeOverwhelming scientific evidence nowclearly indicates that the world’s climateis changing and the cause is very likelyto be human activity. 1Executive summaryThe facts aboutclimate changeAviation’s contributionto climate changeAddressing <strong>emissions</strong>from flightsHow we are cutting<strong>emissions</strong> fromairport buildingsThe worst effects of climate change could be catastrophic for ourplanet and might include heat waves, floods and droughts, meltingice caps, rising sea levels, more frequent and severe storms andhurricanes, and damage to ecosystems and agriculture.But this future is not inevitable. The Stern report on the Economicsof Climate Change said “There is still time to avoid the worstimpacts of climate change, if we take strong action now.” 2The risks to our planet demand an international response, based onthe best available scientific evidence. This brochure aims to explainaviation’s contribution to climate change and set out some of thesteps that BAA is taking at a local, national and international levelto address <strong>Heathrow</strong>’s greenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong>.How we are reducing<strong>emissions</strong> from road trafficand airport vehiclesHow we are curbing<strong>emissions</strong> on the airfieldHow we are setting newstandards for low-carbonconstruction<strong>Heathrow</strong>’s growth andclimate changeNext steps2 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 3


Executive summaryThe facts about climatechangeAviation’s contribution toclimate changeAddressing <strong>emissions</strong>from flightsHow we are cutting <strong>emissions</strong>from airport buildingsClimate change is caused by abuild up of greenhouse gases inthe Earth’s atmosphere. Scientificevidence suggests that humanactivities such as burning fossilfuels and deforestation havesignificantly increased theproportion of greenhouse gasesin the atmosphere over the last150 years. 3Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is theprimary concern. Other gasesthat influence global warminginclude methane, nitrous oxide,ozone, water vapour, and somehaloalkanes such ashydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). 4Power generation anddeforestation are the twobiggest single contributors togreenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong>.According to the Stern Review,total carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>from aviation amount to 1.6% ofglobal greenhouse gas<strong>emissions</strong>. 5The United States is the world’sbiggest greenhouse gas polluter,responsible for 20% of global<strong>emissions</strong>. China is a closesecond. The UK contributes 2%of the world’s greenhouse gases. 6Aviation’s climate change impactis relatively small but growing.It is responsible for about 6% ofthe UK’s total CO2 <strong>emissions</strong> 7 , and1.6% of global greenhouse gas<strong>emissions</strong>. 8Aviation also has non-CO2impacts. Aircraft in flight causewater vapour (which leads to theformation of contrails and cirrusclouds at altitude) and nitrogenoxides (NOx - which forms ozone,a greenhouse gas, at altitude).These may more than doubleaviation’s CO2 impact. 9Aviation’s contribution toclimate change is growing.The Department for Transport’scentral case estimate is thataviation will contribute 21% ofthe UK’s CO2 <strong>emissions</strong> in 2050. 10The IPCC’s central case estimate isthat aviation will account for 5%of the global human contributionto climate change in 2050(including aviation’s non-CO2impacts). 11Airport operations alsocontribute to greenhouse gasesthrough aircraft <strong>emissions</strong> on theground; passengers and stafftravelling to and from theairport; vehicles on the airfield;energy used by airport buildings;waste from the airport; andwater usage.Technological advances. Aircraftare becoming more fuel efficient- currently improving by about1-2% a year. 12 However, aviationis predicted to grow more quicklythan this. Renewable biofuels andfuel cells may be another way ofreducing greenhouse gases.Airspace management. Aroundsix million tonnes of CO2 havealready been saved by shorteningexisting air routes and BAA ispushing for a unified system ofair traffic management withinthe EU. This could help cutaviation CO2 <strong>emissions</strong> by 12%. 13Infrastructure constraints.Airport infrastructure constraintsalready form part of UK aviationpolicy but are “an inefficient wayof regulating demand” accordingto the Stern Review. 14Taxes and charges. The main taxon flying is currently Air PassengerDuty. This may reduce demand forair travel but the money raiseddoesn’t go towards addressingenvironmental impacts orincentivising clean technology.Emissions trading. This wouldforce airlines to cut their own<strong>emissions</strong> or pay for others to doso. It would deliver a clear cut inCO2 <strong>emissions</strong> in an economicallyefficient way. The advantages of<strong>emissions</strong> trading are that theenvironmental result is clear fromthe start; carbon dioxide<strong>reductions</strong> are made in the mostefficient way possible; moneyraised goes directly towardsreducing <strong>emissions</strong>; the quantityof <strong>emissions</strong> is important, nottheir source; and it worksinternationally.Replacing inefficient terminalswith modern buildings.<strong>Heathrow</strong> East will cut carbondioxide <strong>emissions</strong> by around40% compared to the buildingsit replaces.Using on-site combined,cooling heat and power (CCHP).85% of Terminal 5’s heat needsare provided by combined, heatand power.Optimising the performanceof our existing buildings andprocesses. We run a series ofhearts and minds campaignsacross the airport, focussed onstaff and our partners takingaccountability for turning nonessentialpower off.Installing intelligent buildingmanagement systems. Theseautomatically turn off machinerythat is not in use and dim lightsin unoccupied areas.Investing in renewables.<strong>Heathrow</strong> East will be one of thefirst major developments to userenewable biomass gasification.<strong>Heathrow</strong> East will also havephotovoltaic solar panels on itsroof to turn the sun’s energy intoelectricity.Reducing water usage. Ourrainwater harvesting systemreuses 85% of all the rainwaterthat falls on the Terminal 5 site.Recycling waste and turningwaste into energy. BAA has atarget of recycling or composting40% of its waste by 2010 and70% of its waste by 2020. We arealso investigating the possibilityof turning our non-recyclablewaste into energy.Trialling innovative zero-carbonelectricity. <strong>Heathrow</strong> will be oneof the first sites in Britain to trialgenerating zero-carbon energyfrom waste heat.BAA’s startingpoint is simple.Aviation’scontribution isgrowing andwe must takeaction now tocurb <strong>emissions</strong>from flights.4 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 5


Executive summaryHCFCs and HFCs have beenvirtually eliminated from theTerminal 5 project.Terminal 5bHow we are reducing<strong>emissions</strong> from road trafficand airport vehiclesInvesting in rail. BAA hasinvested £750 million in buildingand operating the <strong>Heathrow</strong>Express service which removesaround 3,000 cars a day fromLondon’s roads.Improving bus services. BAAsubsidises local bus routes aroundthe airport so that all passengers,staff, or local residents can travelfor free.Encouraging staff to car share.BAA operates the largest carsharing scheme in Europe. Morethan 6,000 people from over 300airport companies are members,and two-thirds car share threetimes a week.Investing in innovative transportschemes. Our Personal RapidTransit system (PRT), to be trialledin 2008, will replace traditionalbuses and coaches, generate zerolocal <strong>emissions</strong>, and is more energyefficient than existing vehicles.Cutting the number of deliveryvehicles at <strong>Heathrow</strong>. BAA hasopened a centre whichconsolidates airport deliveriesoff-site so that multiple deliveriescan be made with just onevehicle. This has successfully cutthe number of retail deliveries at<strong>Heathrow</strong> from 49,000 to just8,300 a year.How we are curbing<strong>emissions</strong> on the airfieldPre-conditioned Air and FixedElectrical Ground Power. Aircrafttraditionally run one of theirengines while they are parked onthe ground to power the plane.BAA is installing systems thatprovide air conditioning andelectricity from the terminalbuildings so that aircraft can turnoff their engines.On-airfield airline vehicles.British Airways plans to spendmore than £25m on a new fleetof airport vehicles as part of itsmove to <strong>Heathrow</strong> Airport’s newTerminal 5 next March. Thenumber of ground vehiclesrequired will fall by just under40% as a result of the move.Redesigning taxiways. BAA isinvesting in redesigning taxiwaysand piers to reduce the amountof congestion on the airfield,cutting the amount of time thataircraft have to run their engineson the ground.<strong>Heathrow</strong> Clean VehiclesProgramme. BAA is promotingthe use of alternative fuels at<strong>Heathrow</strong> to reduce CO2 andNOx <strong>emissions</strong> by offering a fundof £100,000 to help convert orreplace inefficient vehicles.How we are setting newstandards for low-carbonconstructionEliminating powerfulgreenhouse gases inconstruction. HCFCs and HFCshave been virtually eliminatedfrom the Terminal 5 project.Sourcing sustainableconstruction materials. Onlytimber that has been approvedby the Forestry Stewardship<strong>Council</strong> (FSC) has been installedby BAA at Terminal 5.Using recycled materials atTerminal 5. Over 300,000 tonnesof aggregate were processed andreused on site from demolitionmaterials and waste concrete.Crushed green glass fromdomestic household recyclingbanks was used as a base for siteroads. Pulverised fuel ash, awaste product from powerstations, made up 30% of theconcrete mixture that was usedon site.Recycling our construction waste.Waste materials have beensegregated on the Terminal 5 siteand over 85% of the waste fromthe project has been recycled.6 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 7


The facts about climate changeWhat causesclimate change?Climate change is caused by a build-up of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.The Earth’s atmosphere is made up of many gases, some of which have a warmingeffect by trapping the amount of infrared solar radiation in the atmosphere. These areknown as greenhouse gases.Greenhouse gases are essential forkeeping the planet habitable - withoutthem the Earth would be too cold tosupport life. The proportion ofgreenhouse gases in the atmosphere haschanged significantly over the history ofour planet, but scientific evidencesuggests that human activities such asburning fossil fuels and deforestationhave significantly increased theproportion of greenhouse gases in theatmosphere over the last 150 years 15 . Theworld’s pre-eminent climate changescientists have concluded that it is ‘verylikely’ that this activity is changing theEarth’s climate.40039038037036035034033032031030029028027058.358.157.957.757.557.357.156.956.756.556.38 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 9


The facts about climate changeWhich gases aregreenhouse gases?Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is theprimary concern. The humancontribution of carbon dioxide inthe atmosphere comes primarilyfrom burning fossil fuels. Today itaccounts for about 380 of everymillion molecules in theatmosphere, or 380 parts permillion (ppm). Before theindustrial revolution atmosphericlevels of CO2 had held steady forcenturies at around 270 – 280ppm, but the number is currentlyclimbing by an average of 1-2 ppma year. There is disagreementabout the level at which CO2would need to be stabilised toavoid the worst effects of climatechange. The Government has atarget of stabilising CO2 at 550ppm 16 , but some organisationsestimate that a level as low as450 ppm might be necessary. 17It does not matter where in theworld carbon dioxide is produced– it has the same effect on theatmosphere. 18 A molecule of CO2stays in the atmosphere for abouta century. 19Methane (CH4) is 23 times morepowerful as a greenhouse gasthan carbon dioxide but isprevalent in smaller quantities. 20Methane molecules make up lessthan 2 ppm of the atmospherebut have risen by 150%compared to pre-industriallevels. 21 The main sources of manmademethane are fromdeforestation, decomposition ofwaste and rice and cattleproduction. 22Nitrous Oxide (N2O) is anagricultural and industrial byproduct.23 It is much more scarcethan carbon dioxide in theEarth’s atmosphere – only havingconcentrations of about 300 partsper billion – but is 296 times morepowerful as a greenhouse gasthan CO2. 24Other gases that influence globalwarming include ozone, watervapour, and some haloalkanessuch as hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs). Each is thought to have alesser effect than carbon dioxide– some are powerful greenhousegases but exist in small quantities,others are more prevalent in theatmosphere but are muchweaker. 25If you take into account therelative power of each of thesegases and the amount of eachgas that is produced by manmadeactivities it is possible toestimate the overall globalwarming potential of each gas.The World Resources Instituteestimates that carbon dioxide isresponsible for 77% of manmadeglobal greenhouse gas<strong>emissions</strong>, methane 14%,nitrous oxide 8%, and othergases 1%. 26Which countries are mostresponsible for greenhousegas <strong>emissions</strong> today?% of global <strong>emissions</strong>United States 20.6China 14.8Russia 5.7India 5.5Japan 4.0Germany 2.9Brazil 2.5Canada 2.1United Kingdom 2.0Italy 1.6Emissions per capita(tonnes of carbon equivalentper person)Qatar 18.5UAE 10.1Kuwait 9.5Bahrain 7.0Australia 6.8United States 6.8Canada 6.3New Zealand 5.8Brunei 5.8Luxembourg 5.7Source: Pew Centre, Climate DataInsights and Observations (2004)Sources of man-made greenhouse gasesSource: The Stern Review 27Which activities contribute to climate change?The chart (left) shows the relative sources of man-madegreenhouse gases. The total amount of man-made<strong>emissions</strong> produced each year is around 42 gigatonnesof carbon dioxide equivalent. According to the SternReview, total carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> from aviationamount to 0.7 gigatonnes or 1.6% of globalgreenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong>. 28The map below shows the gases that individual sectorsand activities produce and their global warmingimpact. It is from the World Resources Institutepublication, Navigating the Numbers, and isreproduced in the Stern Review. 2910 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 11


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeAviation’scontribution toclimate changeAviation’s climate change impact is relatively small compared to other industries.The total greenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong> from UK domestic and international flightswere estimated to be about 9.6 million tonnes of carbon equivalent in 2005. 30This represents about 6% of the UK’s total CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>, and just 0.1% of globalCO2 <strong>emissions</strong>.UK total CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>Source: DefraSources of aviation relatedCO2 <strong>emissions</strong>Source: BAAWorld-wide, all aviation isestimated to contribute about1.6% of global greenhouse gas<strong>emissions</strong>. 31Aviation has two main areas ofimpact:• aviation in the air, which hasCO2 impacts and non-CO2impacts• airport related, which can bebroken down into four mainareas: aircraft on the ground;energy use in airportterminals; building newinfrastructure; and transportto the airport.Of the total <strong>emissions</strong> fromaviation, aircraft in the aircontribute around 95% of carbondioxide <strong>emissions</strong> and airportrelated <strong>emissions</strong>, such asterminal buildings and vehicleson the ground, contribute theremainder.Aviation also has non-CO2impactsThe effects of aviation on ourclimate are greater than thecarbon dioxide effects alone.Aircraft in flight cause watervapour (which leads to theformation of contrails and cirrusclouds at altitude) and nitrogenoxides (NOx - which form ozone,a greenhouse gas, at altitude)Understanding of the impacts ofCO2 is relatively good. For other<strong>emissions</strong> the science is lesscertain. The Inter-GovernmentalPanel on Climate Change (IPCC)estimated in 1999 that the non-CO2 impacts from aviation maybe 2-4 times greater than theimpact from carbon dioxidealone. 32 A more recent studyquoted in the Stern Reportsuggests that the impacts may becloser to twice the CO2 impactalone. 33 Neither study includesthe highly uncertain effects ofthe formation of cirrus clouds byaircraft vapour trails. There issignificant scientific debate overhow best to compare thesedifferent impacts, which havevery different timescales: CO2lasts in the atmosphere for about100 years, whereas contrails maylast for only a few hours.The Department for Transportrecently stated that, because thenon-CO2 impacts of aviation maybe double the CO2 impacts alone,the proportion of UK greenhousegases attributable to aviationmay be around 13%. 34 However,aviation is not the only industrythat has non-CO2 climate changeimpacts – the estimate for othersectors ranges from 1.1 to 1.5times the impact of CO2. 35Further scientific research isneeded to address the non-CO2impacts of aviation. BAA isworking in partnership with theUK Government and severalleading universities to sponsorresearch into these non-CO2effects as part of the OMEGAprogramme.Further details of this researchcan be found athttp://www.omega.mmu.ac.uk/12 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 13


Aviation’s contribution to climate changeContrails and cloudsAviation’s contribution toclimate change is growing.Airport sources of carbondioxide <strong>emissions</strong>The impact of clouds on globalclimate change is one of themost uncertain areas ofclimate change science. It isthought that most types ofclouds exert a cooling effecton the Earth’s surface as theyscreen out sunlight.However, the same may not betrue for cirrus clouds - the highthin clouds that could be partlyformed by aircraft contrails.That’s because cirrus cloudsmay allow sunlight through tothe Earth and yet still trapinfrared radiation emitted fromthe Earth.The science is furthercomplicated by whether it isday or night which seems tohave a significant effect onwhether cirrus clouds have awarming or cooling effect.Scientists tend to believe thatcirrus clouds have an overallwarming effect.A special report by the IPCC in1999 estimated that the globalwarming effect of contrailsand other exhaust generatedclouds is only about 1-3% aslarge as the global warmingeffect from all humanproduced greenhouse gases. 36The future climate changecontribution of any industrydepends on several unknownfactors: the industry’s rate ofgrowth; the extent to whichtechnological improvements orenvironmental demandmanagement reduce <strong>emissions</strong>;and the extent to which otherindustries reduce or increase theirown <strong>emissions</strong>. Although wecan’t be sure of aviation’s exact<strong>emissions</strong> in the future we doknow that they are predictedto grow.The Department for Transport’scentral case estimate is thataviation will contribute 21% ofthe UK’s CO2 <strong>emissions</strong> in 2050.This figure also assumes that therest of the economy achieves a60% cut in <strong>emissions</strong>. 37At a global level, the IPCC centralcase estimate is that aviation willaccount for 5% of the world’stotal human contribution toclimate change in 2050 (includingaviation’s non-CO2 impacts),though their estimates rangefrom 3.5% to 15%. 38It is often incorrectly said thataviation is the fastest growingsource of global <strong>emissions</strong>. Infact, a quarter of all globalgreenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong> comefrom power stations and this hasboth been the fastest growingsource of <strong>emissions</strong> in recentyears and is predicted to growmore than threefold by 2050. 39One of the highest estimates foraviation’s future <strong>emissions</strong> growthis from the Tyndall Centre forClimate Change in a reportcommissioned by Friends of theEarth. 40 It predicts that aviationcould account for all of the UK’spermitted <strong>emissions</strong> by 2050.This forecast is based on veryhigh predictions of passengernumbers which we believe areunrealistic – 1.2 billion passengerjourneys a year, which is nearly2.5 times what the Governmentor other industry forecastersexpect. Some of the TyndallCentre’s forecasts are also basedon the UK achieving larger totalCO2 <strong>reductions</strong> than currentpolicy is targeting.Although the precise futuregreenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong> fromaviation are uncertain, BAA’sstarting point is simple. Aviation’scontribution is growing and wemust take action now to curb<strong>emissions</strong> from flights.There are several ways in whichairports contribute to greenhousegases which cause climate change:• aircraft <strong>emissions</strong> on theground• passengers and stafftravelling to and from<strong>Heathrow</strong> by road or rail• vehicles on the airfield orvehicles making deliveries tothe airport• energy used by airportbuildings• waste from the airport whichproduces greenhouse gasesthrough disposal• water usageWe are currently undertakingdetailed work to understand theproportion of our <strong>emissions</strong> fromeach of these sources and thetotal non-flight carbon footprintof <strong>Heathrow</strong>.We have a good understandingof the direct carbon dioxideimpacts of the airport, forexample, our energy use in theterminals, but further work needsto be undertaken on morecomplex impacts such aspassenger journeys to the airport.What is the IPCC?Recognizing the problem of potential global climate change, the WorldMeteorological Organization (WMO) and the United NationsEnvironment Programme (UNEP) established the IntergovernmentalPanel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. It is open to all members ofthe UN and WMO.The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, openand transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economicinformation relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk ofhuman-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options foradaptation and mitigation. The IPCC does not carry out research nordoes it monitor climate related data. It bases its assessment onthousands of peer reviewed and published scientific or technicalliterature.There are many voices claiming to be the authority on climate change.BAA relies primarily on the work of the IPCC to assess aviation’s currentand future contribution to climate change.The IPCC’s fourth assessment report is based on the work of over 2,500scientific expert reviewers, and more than 800 contributing authorsfrom over 130 countries. It took six years to produce and comprises fourvolumes of work. It is the most authoritative source of advice on globalclimate change available to policymakers.14 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 15


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeAddressing<strong>emissions</strong> fromflightsOver the last thirty years there has been a 50% improvement in aircraft fuelefficiency per passenger. 41 Burning less fuel is the simplest way to curb aviation’scarbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>.Technological advancesFuel efficiency is currentlyimproving by about 1-2% a year. 42However, aviation is predicted togrow more quickly than this, sotechnological improvements bythemselves won’t be enough tosolve the problem.Aircraft manufacturers aremaking big strides with the nextgeneration of planes that will flyfrom <strong>Heathrow</strong>. The Airbus A380is 12% more fuel efficient perpassenger than an existing jumbojet. 43 When the Boeing 787 entersservice in 2008 it will cut CO2<strong>emissions</strong> by 20% compared tothe existing 767. And the latestversion of the Boeing 747 willemit 15% less carbon dioxide thanits predecessor. 44 These planes willhave a big part to play at <strong>Heathrow</strong>.For example, airlines that fly from<strong>Heathrow</strong> have already orderedover 280 Boeing 787s.Renewable biofuels are a possibleaircraft fuel of the future andmay be a way of reducinggreenhouse gases. Biofuels areplants that absorb carbon dioxidewhile they are grown and releaseit again when they are burnt forenergy. Unlike burning fossilfuels, this doesn’t add to theoverall level of carbon dioxide inthe atmosphere. Existing biofuelsare generally unsuitable foraircraft because they freeze athigh altitudes, but new researchsuggests that using algae andother new types of biofuels inplanes may be possible. Boeingwill begin testing biofueltechnology with Virgin Atlantic in747 jets in 2008.Boeing is also experimentingwith aircraft powered by fuelcells. Fuel cells use a chemicalreaction to generate electricityfrom hydrogen and oxygen andthe only by-products of theprocess are heat and water. It isnot currently possible to provideenough power to propel a largeplane using fuel cells alone.However, Boeing does plan tointroduce fuel cells on largeraircraft as a source of auxiliarypower for lighting, heating andin-flight entertainment.ACAREThe Advisory <strong>Council</strong> forAerospace Research in Europe(ACARE) was established in 2001with the purpose of driving longtermresearch into aerospacedesign. Its membership includesEuropean member states, theEuropean Commission, aircraftmanufacturers, airports, airlines,research establishments andacademia.ACARE set specific andambitious targets for aircraftenvironmental performance in2020 compared to equivalentnew aircraft in 2000. These are:• 50% reduction in CO2<strong>emissions</strong> and fuelconsumption(per passenger km)• 80% reduction in NOx<strong>emissions</strong> (per passenger km)• 50% reduction in perceivedexternal noiseProgress towards these targetsand detail of the innovations inaircraft design are available atwww.sustainableaviation.co.ukPlanes are getting greener -Litres of fuel per100 passenger kilometreSource: Boeing8.02.4 3.0787(int 2008)767(int 1982)727(int 1963)16 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 17


Addressing <strong>emissions</strong> from flightsAirspace managementInfrastructure constraintsAir traffic control is still largelyorganised on nationalboundaries. This means thataircraft frequently fly a ‘dog-leg’route rather than flying in astraight line. The additional fuelused to fly these circuitous routesprovides no benefit to anyone –increasing journey times forpassengers and the amount ofcarbon dioxide produced duringa flight. Around six milliontonnes of CO2 have already beensaved by shortening existingroutes and BAA is pushing for aunified system of air trafficmanagement within the EU tosignificantly reduce <strong>emissions</strong>within Europe. IATA estimatesthat a single air trafficmanagement system for the EUcould cut aviation CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>by 12%. 45One way of reducing the demandfor air travel is to prevent anymore airport infrastructure frombeing built. If there are no morerunways then there is a limit tohow many more flights arepossible.In fact, airport infrastructureconstraints already form part ofUK aviation policy. In its 2003 AirTransport White Paper theGovernment allowed for someadditional airport capacity, butdid not allow for all of theunconstrained capacity that wasforecast. For example, even witha third runway, <strong>Heathrow</strong> wouldonly be meeting some 70% of itsunconstrained growth forecast in2030. 46However, other countries are notadopting the same policy. Overthe next five years China plans toinvest in 71 airport expansionprojects, including building 49new airports. 47Today, <strong>Heathrow</strong> is full, operatingat 99% of its permitted runwaycapacity, and a failure to allowfor any new capacity at all couldhave serious economicconsequences, both at a regionaland national level. Theinternational connectivityprovided by <strong>Heathrow</strong> supportsbillions of pounds of Britishexports, thousands of UK jobs,and means that hundreds ofbusinesses choose to locate in theUK, who would otherwise locateoverseas. (For a detailedexamination of <strong>Heathrow</strong>’seconomic importance see ourpublication Economic Benefits of<strong>Heathrow</strong> available atwww.baa.com/publications)Worse still, future growth in airtravel – along with the businessesthat are based in West Londonand the Thames Valley – couldmigrate elsewhere. If there areno available landing slots at<strong>Heathrow</strong> then airlines willsimply fly from other Europeanhubs instead. That does nothingto combat climate change butdamages the UK economy andLondon’s status as Europe’spremier financial and commercialcentre.The Stern Review on theEconomics of Climate Changestated that capacity limits atairports are a poor way of dealingwith the challenge of climatechange, noting that they are “aform of rationing which is aninefficient way of regulatingdemand”. Capacity constraints leadto more congestion and delays,causing aircraft to be held forlonger in stacks. This needlesslypollutes the atmosphere whileaircraft wait for a landing slot.The Stern Reviewstated thatcapacity limits atairports is aninefficient wayof regulatingdemandTaxes and chargesThe main tax on flying at presentis Air Passenger Duty. This iscurrently levied at £10 for shorthaul flights and £40 for long-haulflights and raises almost £2 billionfor the Treasury each year.There are two main problemswith Air Passenger Duty as a wayof tackling climate change:• it is a tax on passengers not<strong>emissions</strong>. Airlines are notincentivised to directly reduce<strong>emissions</strong>.• the money that is raiseddoesn’t go towardsaddressing environmentalimpacts or incentivising cleantechnology.Putting tax on fuel is frequentlysuggested as a way of combatingcarbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> fromaviation. The main problem withthis idea is that it only applies tofuel purchased in the UK. Onmany short-haul flights theairline could simply choose to fillup their fuel tanks abroad –avoiding the tax and actuallyincreasing their CO2 <strong>emissions</strong> byflying heavier fully-fuelledaircraft. There are alsointernational agreements thatprevent states from levying taxon international aviation fuelmeaning that in practice thiscould only be applied to domesticflights. Like Air Passenger Dutythe money raised would not gotowards addressingenvironmental impacts.18 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 19


Addressing <strong>emissions</strong> from flightsEmissions TradingBAA has been at the forefront oflobbying for aviation to beincluded in the EU EmissionsTrading Scheme. This would forceairlines to cut their own <strong>emissions</strong>or pay for others to do so.How does <strong>emissions</strong> tradingwork?• Emissions trading places a capon the total amount of<strong>emissions</strong> allowed acrossindustry as a whole.• Permits are allocated tocompanies setting theamount that each can pollute.The total number of permitsis finite and no pollution isallowed above the cap.• Companies can trade theirpermits - selling permits ifthey can cut their <strong>emissions</strong>below their allocation, andbuying them if they want topollute above their allocation• Permits are sold at a marketprice. If everyone wanted topollute above their cap, thenpermits would become scarceand the price would go up.The European Commission iscurrently proposing that allflights arriving or departing froman airport in the EU would becovered by this scheme by 2012,and all flights within the EUwould be covered by 2011.For the trading periods up until2022, <strong>emissions</strong> will be capped at2005 levels - equivalent to a 45%cut in <strong>emissions</strong> by 2020compared to business as usual,according to the Commission’sassessment study. 48Five key advantages of <strong>emissions</strong> trading1 2 3 4 5The environmental result isclear from the start.The amount of CO2 that willbe emitted into theatmosphere is set at thestart. This comparesfavourably to a tax on fuelwhere governments need toestimate the amount of taxthat would be necessary toreduce <strong>emissions</strong> by acertain amount. If the levelof tax is set too low, thenmore CO2 will be emittedinto the atmosphere thanintended. With a cap andtrade system, governmentsonly need to decide howgreat a reduction of CO2 isnecessary to combat climatechange. The market sets theprice of CO2 permits to meetthis target.Cutting carbon -Carbon dioxide savings in kilogramsSource: Energy Savings TrustCancelling a return flight to Barcelona(per person)Turning the thermostat down 1˚(per year)Insulating a loftInstalling 10 energy saving lightbulbsCO2 <strong>reductions</strong> are madein the most efficient waypossible.Some activities produceCO2 but have little or noeconomic benefit – forexample, heat escapingfrom buildings. Someactivities have strongeconomic benefits andno existing alternativetechnology – for example,aviation. Emissions tradingachieves real cuts in CO2at the least possible costto the economy.3003001500380Money raised goes directlytowards reducing <strong>emissions</strong>.Unlike a tax, which may gostraight to the Treasury, themoney raised throughselling CO2 permits goesdirectly to those who havereduced their <strong>emissions</strong>. Thisrewards those who cut theircarbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>,and incentivises thedevelopment of new lowcarbontechnology. UnlikeAir Passenger Duty, wherethe cost is related to thenumber of passengers, thecost is related directly to the<strong>emissions</strong> that a flightproduces. That means it ismore expensive forinefficient older aircraft.The quantity of <strong>emissions</strong> isimportant, not their source.It does not make anydifference whether CO2<strong>emissions</strong> are produced fromroad traffic or powerstations – they have thesame impact on our climate.Rather than concentratingon one industry at theexpense of action elsewhere,<strong>emissions</strong> trading simplyconcentrates on reducingthe overall amount ofcarbon dioxide put into theatmosphere.It works internationally.The UK produces about 2%of the world’s greenhousegases. Unilateral action willbe insufficient to haltclimate change. Emissionstrading is alreadyestablished across Europe,but persuading the UnitedStates to take action is keyto world-wide action onclimate change. The US hasalready successfully used<strong>emissions</strong> trading to combatsulphur dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>and <strong>emissions</strong> trading islikely to be more politicallyacceptable than a tax.20 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 21


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeHow we are cutting<strong>emissions</strong> fromairport buildingsTerminal 5 Energy CentreHeating, cooling and powering airport terminals all require energy that contributesto carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>.BAA is on target to reduce its own carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> from energy by 15%below 1990 levels by 2010. This is in excess of the UK’s targets under the Kyototreaty and despite a predicted growth in passenger numbers of 70% during thisperiod. We have recently set a new target of further reducing our carbon dioxide<strong>emissions</strong> from energy use in buildings by 30% by 2020.22 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 23


How we are cutting <strong>emissions</strong> from airport buildingsWe are achieving CO2 <strong>reductions</strong> from <strong>Heathrow</strong>’s buildings in several ways.Replacing inefficient terminalswith modern buildingsBAA is replacing older buildingswith modern terminals thatrequire less energy. Many of ourterminals were designed in the1950’s and 1960’s and are notenergy efficient by modernstandards. We are replacingTerminals 1 and 2 with a newpassenger terminal called<strong>Heathrow</strong> East. This will deliver aworld-class facility for ourpassengers, provide more spacefor security, and also cut carbondioxide <strong>emissions</strong> by around 40%compared to the buildings itreplaces.Solar control glass and solarshading devices let natural lightinto the building whileminimising the amount of heatgain from sunlight. This reducesthe need for artificial lightingand air conditioning. In winter,hot air generated by people andmachinery will be collected andused to warm incoming externalair for the air conditioningsystem. Chiller, boiler and ITsystems will all be high-efficiency,reducing power consumptioncompared to existing buildings.Using on-site combined, coolingheat and power (CCHP)Conventional power plants onlyconvert about 35% of the energyin the fuel that they burn intoelectricity. The heat which powerstations produce duringelectricity generation is a wasteproduct emitted through coolingtowers. Energy is also lost aselectricity is transmitted throughthe grid. With CCHP, electricity isgenerated on site and the wasteheat is used to heat the buildingduring the winter. In summer,absorption chillers turn the wasteheat into cold water to cool thebuilding. This hugely improvesenergy efficiency. CCHP plantstypically convert over 80% of theenergy in the fuel that they burninto electricity, heat or cooling.This means less fuel is needed toproduce the same results.85% of Terminal 5’s heat needsare provided by combined, heatand power. At <strong>Heathrow</strong> East,cooling will also be providedthrough CCHP, which saves onelectricity that would be used intraditional air conditioning unitsand also removes the need forrefrigerants, which are powerfulgreenhouse gases.Optimising the performance ofour existing buildings andprocessesEnergy efficiency is a keyobjective for how we manageour activities. We set and reporton annual CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>reduction targets for the airport.Everyone has a role to play inminimising avoidable energywaste. We run a series of heartsand minds campaigns across theairport, focussed on staff and ourpartners taking accountability forturning non-essential power off.This work is complemented by anannual programme of projects toimprove the performance of ourbuildings systems on an ongoingbasis. The aim is to regularlyservice our assets in a mannerwhich promotes efficient use ofenergy.We are also focussed onprocuring the best options whenreplacing our assets andequipment. Recent investmentprojects for energy efficiency onthe airport have includedautomatic lighting controls andmeasures to improve theefficiency of our chillers. Futureopportunities that have beenidentified include investing inmore efficient motors and drivesystems and high efficiencylighting systems.Installing intelligent buildingmanagement systemsBAA is installing intelligentbuilding management systems inits terminals. These automaticallyturn off machinery that is not inuse and dim lights in unoccupiedareas or where natural light isbright enough by itself. They willalso control temperature andtarget and constantly monitorenergy consumption so thatefficient performance can bemeasured and maintained.Terminal 5 interchange plaza<strong>Heathrow</strong> East departures24 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 25


How we are cutting <strong>emissions</strong> from airport buildingsInvesting in renewables<strong>Heathrow</strong> East will be one of thefirst major developments to userenewable biomass gasification.This process generates arenewable gas from locallysourced waste wood andsustainable forests that can thenbe used to fuel the CCHP plant.Adopting this technologysupports one of the key prioritiesfrom the Mayor’s Climate ChangeAction Plan 49 , by seeking todemonstrate the potential forrenewable energy from biomass.BAA will share the results of thetechnology with the Mayor’senvironment team and theLondon Climate Change Agencyto assess its potential use infuture developments.<strong>Heathrow</strong> East will also havephotovoltaic solar panels on itsroof to turn the sun’s energy intoelectricity.Reducing water usageIn future, the effects of globalwarming will make water morescarce. Water usage alsocontributes to climate changethrough the energy that isrequired to pump, process andtreat drinking water.<strong>Heathrow</strong> is taking steps toreduce its water usage and theamount of water that it takesfrom the mains supply. Water fornon-potable use at Terminal 5 issourced from a rainwaterharvesting scheme andgroundwater boreholes, reducingthe demand on the public watersupply by 70%. The rainwaterharvesting system reuses 85% ofall the rainwater that falls on theTerminal 5 site.<strong>Heathrow</strong> will be one of the first sites inBritain to trial generating zero-carbonenergy from waste heat.All toilets in Terminal 5 have thecapability to be low-flush toilets,using as little as four litres ofwater when flushed. Grey waterwill be used to flush toilets in<strong>Heathrow</strong> East. All taps andshowers are fitted with watersaving devices such as on-and-offsensors and aerated heads.Recycling waste and turningwaste into energyWaste that is sent to landfillproduces methane gas, and all ofthe energy in the waste is lost.BAA has a target of recycling orcomposting 40% of its waste by2010 and 70% of its waste by2020. We are also aiming to sendzero waste to landfill by 2020.From next year, waste thatcurrently goes to landfill will goto a waste incineration plant andsome of the energy in the wastewill be recovered. <strong>Heathrow</strong> isalso investigating the possibilityof using the energy from wastethat cannot by recycled to powerits terminals. We are looking atmore innovative techniques forturning our waste into energy,potentially on the airport site.Anaerobic digestion breaks downwaste to produce a biogas thatcan then be used to powerelectricity generators and provideheat. Waste gasification is analternative way of turning wasteinto a gas to fuel a combinedcooling, heat and power plant.We are currently undertaking astudy to assess the commercialand operational viability of theseoptions for <strong>Heathrow</strong>.Trialling innovative zero-carbonelectricity<strong>Heathrow</strong> will be one of the firstsites in Britain to trial generatingzero-carbon energy from wasteheat. The new technology willconvert waste heat from<strong>Heathrow</strong>’s existing boilers intozero-carbon electricity. Theelectricity generated will be usedto power <strong>Heathrow</strong>’s terminalswithout burning more fossil fuels.If successful, the trial could beextended across the airport.Terminal 5 Energy Centre26 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 27


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeHow we are reducing<strong>emissions</strong> fromroad traffic andairport vehiclesPassengers and staff driving to and around <strong>Heathrow</strong>contribute to carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> and climatechange. Overall road transport is a much biggercontributor to UK carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> than aviation– making up about 24% of all UK CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>. 50 On theM4 at <strong>Heathrow</strong> almost 20% of vehicles are travelling toor from the airport. BAA is working hard to increase theproportion of passengers and staff who travel to theairport by public transport. We are also promotingschemes to cut the number of deliveries to the airportand improve the environmental performance of vehicleson the airfield.No. 77 low emission bus Slough – <strong>Heathrow</strong>28 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 29


Reducing <strong>emissions</strong> from road traffic and airport vehiclesInvesting in railAlthough trains and buses stillproduce carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>they are much more energyefficient per passenger than cars.BAA has invested £750 million inbuilding and operating the<strong>Heathrow</strong> Express service. Thenon-stop rail-air link betweenLondon Paddington and<strong>Heathrow</strong> Airport operates 150services per day carrying onaverage 15,000 passengers. Thisdirect link to Paddington Stationis specifically designed forbusiness passengers who areamongst those most likely todrive to the airport. It was recentlyrated as the best rail service inthe UK by passengers, with anoverall satisfaction rating at 94%- the highest ever rating achievedby a rail service in the UK. 51<strong>Heathrow</strong> Express is removingaround 3,000 cars a day fromLondon’s roads helping to reducecarbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> andimprove local air quality. Theservice is currently beingextended so that it connects toTerminal 5. This new route willoperate from 2008.In 2005 BAA also introduced<strong>Heathrow</strong> Connect, a stoppingservice to Paddington, designedfor those passengers or staff wholive in West London. This £30million investment was designedto take more cars off the roadand follows the route that thewesterly section of Crossrail willcover. Staff are able to purchasehalf-price tickets on both the<strong>Heathrow</strong> Express and <strong>Heathrow</strong>Connect services.BAA has also invested in theLondon Underground byextending the existing PiccadillyLine service to Terminal 5 andrenovating our existing LondonUnderground stations.At the moment many passengersto the west of <strong>Heathrow</strong> have totravel into London in order toaccess the airport by rail. AtTerminal 5 we have built a sixplatformrail station with twoplatforms safeguarded for awesterly rail link. BAA has agreedto invest over £5 million to seekpermission to build a rail link tothe west of the airport calledAirtrack. Airtrack would offerdirect or one-stop rail access to<strong>Heathrow</strong> for passengers fromReading, Guildford, Woking orsouth-west London.Improving bus servicesThe bus and coach station at<strong>Heathrow</strong> is the second busiestbus station in the UK. Frequentservices connect the airport withover 500 local and nationaldestinations. Three direct luxurycoaches link <strong>Heathrow</strong> to thenational rail network byproviding services to Watford,Reading and Woking. In additionthe 285 bus links <strong>Heathrow</strong> toFeltham station which is on themain line from Waterloo andClapham Junction. BAA investsdirectly in some local bus servicesproviding funding for cleanerbuses and working with buscompanies to introduce newservices. We also subsidise localbus routes around the airport sothat all passengers, staff, or localresidents can travel for free.Encouraging staff to car share70,000 people work at <strong>Heathrow</strong>Airport. It is the biggest singlesiteemployer in the UK. Cuttingthe number of road journeys bystaff is a key priority for us. Aswell as offering discounts on railservices we also encourage staffto car share. BAA operates thelargest car sharing scheme inEurope. More than 6,000 peoplefrom over 300 airport companiesare members of the scheme andof these around two-thirds carshare three times a week.To encourage staff to car sharewe provide priority parking baysfor members of the scheme; offera free taxi ride to get home if anemergency occurs; and offerdiscounts on costs such asbreakdown cover and tyrereplacement. Similar benefits anddiscounts are in place for staffwho cycle to work.We estimate that since the<strong>Heathrow</strong> car share schemestarted in 2001 it has prevented53 million kilometres ofunnecessary car journeys, cut fuelconsumption by nearly 5 millionlitres, and saved 11,000 tonnes ofcarbon dioxide from beingemitted into the atmosphere.Investing in innovative transportschemesBAA will host the firstcommercial trial of an innovativenew public transport technologyafter Terminal 5 opens in 2008.The Personal Rapid Transit system(PRT) will replace traditionalbuses and coaches by allowingpassengers to travel betweenTerminal 5’s business car park andmain terminal building inindividual driverless pods. Thepods are powered by electricity,generate zero local <strong>emissions</strong>,and are more energy efficientthan existing vehicles.Cutting the number of deliveryvehicles at <strong>Heathrow</strong><strong>Heathrow</strong> is like a small city,hosting thousands of people andhundreds of companies.Supplying <strong>Heathrow</strong> is a majorlogistical exercise that, if notproperly managed, would causeheavy congestion and be asignificant contributor togreenhouse gases.In 2001, BAA opened the <strong>Heathrow</strong>Consolidation Centre to cut thenumber of vehicle deliveries.Rather than each company makingtheir own delivery to the airport,deliveries are consolidated offairportso that multiple deliveriescan be made with just one vehicle.This has successfully cut thenumber of retail deliveries at<strong>Heathrow</strong> from 49,000 to just8,300 a year. This award-winninginnovation has become a modelof best practice across thelogistics industry.BAA operates the <strong>Heathrow</strong>Consolidation Centre inpartnership with logistics expertsDHL. As part of its futureinvestment strategy for <strong>Heathrow</strong>,DHL has committed to furtherinnovation, including the initialdeployment of a £75,000, 9 tonneelectric vehicle, the first electricretail delivery vehicle operatingwithin an airport environment.30 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 31


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeHow we arecurbing <strong>emissions</strong>on the airfieldAircraft on the ground and vehicles on the airfield are also importantcontributors to carbon dioxide. BAA has a number of initiatives in placeto address these <strong>emissions</strong>.Pre-conditioned Air and FixedElectrical Ground PowerAircraft traditionally run one oftheir engines while they areparked on the ground to powerthe plane. This power is used torun the air conditioning systemand provide electricity to theaircraft’s systems and lighting.But running aircraft engines onthe ground is an inefficient wayof producing energy and isdetrimental to local air quality.On all new aircraft parkingstands BAA is providing airlineswith Pre-conditioned Air (PCA)and Fixed Electrical GroundPower (FEGP). These systemsprovide air conditioning andelectricity from the terminalbuildings, meaning that aircraftcan turn off their engines on theground. Further work is beingcarried out to quantify the extentof carbon emission <strong>reductions</strong>.On-airfield airline vehiclesMany of the vehicles on theairfield are operated by airlines.British Airways plans to spendmore than £25m on a new fleetof 550 airport vehicles as part ofits move to <strong>Heathrow</strong> Airport’snew Terminal 5 next March. Thenew vehicles will help the airlineto reduce its <strong>emissions</strong> at<strong>Heathrow</strong> and improvepunctuality. The number ofground vehicles required byBritish Airways will fall by justunder 40% as the result of themove to Terminal 5, from 1,300this year to fewer than 800 in2010. As part of the busreplacement programme and theoperational changes withinTerminal 5, the number of busesused by British Airways at<strong>Heathrow</strong> will also reduce bymore than 50 percent by 2010.Redesigning taxiways<strong>Heathrow</strong> has around 1,300departing or arriving flights everyday. Because it is such a busyairport there are a large numberof aircraft movements on theairfield at any one time. Thecurrent design of the airfield isstill based on its World War IIlayout, and there are a numberof cul-de-sacs which lead todelays and congestion. BAA isinvesting in redesigning taxiwaysand piers to reduce the amountof congestion on the airfield. Ifaircraft can taxi between therunways and the terminalbuildings more easily, it will cutthe amount of time that theyhave to run their engines on theground and reduce <strong>emissions</strong>.<strong>Heathrow</strong> Clean VehiclesProgrammeBAA is promoting the use ofalternative fuels at <strong>Heathrow</strong> toreduce CO2 and NOx <strong>emissions</strong> byoffering a fund of £100,000 tohelp convert or replaceinefficient vehicles.Our <strong>Heathrow</strong> Clean VehiclesProgramme helps othercompanies on, or around, theairport achieve a more fuelefficient and less polluting vehiclefleet. It provides an independentassessment of performanceagainst ten steps ofenvironmentally responsibletransport management. Thesesteps range from training andawareness, through clean fuelsand vehicles, to a commitment tomaintaining a momentum ofcontinuous improvement.Companies who sign up to theprogramme are provided with aninitial assessment and an actionplan focusing on cost-effectivemeasures to improve theenvironmental performance oftheir fleets. The programme hasbeen highly commended for itsenvironmental leadership. BAA isa member of the scheme and wehave so far reached Gold level(this means we have achieved 6out of the ten steps).32 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 33


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeHow we are settingnew standards forlow-carbonconstructionBAA is the largest private-sector construction contractor in the UK. At<strong>Heathrow</strong> alone, we are investing £6.2 billion over the next ten years torebuild and refurbish our existing terminals so that we can provideworld-class facilities for our passengers. Using traditional materials andconstruction techniques could have a significant environmental impact.Because of this, BAA has sought to lead the UK construction industry inthe use of sustainable construction materials.HCFCs and HFCsHCFCs and HFCs, which arepowerful greenhouse gases, havebeen virtually eliminated fromthe Terminal 5 project.TimberOnly timber that has beenapproved by the ForestryStewardship <strong>Council</strong> (FSC) hasbeen installed by BAA to ensurethat it has been sourced from asustainable supply.AggregatesLarge amounts of aggregates(coarse material used inconstruction such as sand, gravel,or crushed stone) were neededduring construction at Terminal 5.To minimise the energy neededto mine primary materials wehave tried to use recycled andsecondary aggregates wherepossible. Over 300,000 tonnes ofaggregate were processed andreused on site from demolitionmaterials and waste concrete. Anadditional 80,000 tonnes ofrecycled and secondary aggregatewas brought into the projectfrom other sites to be reused.Crushed green glass fromdomestic household recyclingbanks was used as a base forTerminal 5 site roads. Pulverisedfuel ash, a waste product frompower stations, made up 30% ofthe concrete mixture that wasused on site.Excavated materialsThe Terminal 5 site is the samesize as Hyde Park and 6.5 millioncubic metres of earth have beenmoved during the project. Toavoid sending any excavatedmaterial to landfill, this earth hasbeen used to backfill excavationsand landscape the terminal.WasteWaste materials have beensegregated on site and over 85%of the waste from the project hasbeen recycled. We have set afurther target that 90% of thedemolition waste from the<strong>Heathrow</strong> East project will berecycled.34 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 35


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong>’s growthand climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> is vital to the health of the UK economy and the country’s only hub airport.In 2003 the Government said that it supported a third runway at <strong>Heathrow</strong> but only ifthis could be operated within strict environmental limits.There is a strong case for allowingfurther growth at <strong>Heathrow</strong>. Theairport supports thousands ofjobs, provides the vital linksbetween the UK and the globaleconomy, and is an absolutelyessential factor in convincingcompanies to locate in Britain.But today <strong>Heathrow</strong> is full –already at 98.5% of its permittedrunway capacity – and vulnerableto foreign competition. If<strong>Heathrow</strong> isn’t allowed to growthen foreign hubs such asFrankfurt, Amsterdam and Pariswill grow instead. That doesnothing to combat climatechange but would severelydamage the UK’s globalcompetitiveness and UK jobs.<strong>Heathrow</strong> also has an importantsocial role. London is one of theworld’s most cosmopolitan, andculturally and ethnically diversecities. Nearly one third of London’spopulation was born outside theUK, with the largest single migrantgroups from India, Ireland,Jamaica, Bangladesh, Nigeria,Pakistan and Kenya. 52 Most of theUK’s long-haul flights depart from<strong>Heathrow</strong> and one third of theairport’s passengers are visitingfriends and relatives abroad.Although aviation only contributesa relatively small amount of theUK’s CO2 <strong>emissions</strong> today, itscontribution is growing. A thirdrunway at <strong>Heathrow</strong> wouldincrease the total amount of CO2<strong>emissions</strong> from the airport. That’swhy BAA supports an approachwhereby aviation is treated likeother industries and included inthe EU Emissions Trading Scheme.This would place a cap on thetotal amount of CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>across the economy and meanthat airlines would be forced tocut their own <strong>emissions</strong> or pay forothers to do so.BAA believes that this is the mosteffective way of:• managing aviation’s carbondioxide <strong>emissions</strong>;• making the overall CO2<strong>reductions</strong> necessary tocombat climate change; and• maintaining the economicand social benefits thataviation undoubtedly creates.The Stern Report on climatechange also said that constrainingairport capacity was an inefficientway of regulating demand, butsupported schemes such as<strong>emissions</strong> trading as an effectiveway of reducing global warmingimpacts.Outside of the climate changedebate, <strong>Heathrow</strong>’s expansionwill only go ahead if localenvironmental impacts can bemitigated. That means no morenoise than in 2002, all air qualitypollution safely within EU limits,and improvements in publictransport to help managecongestion.36 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 37


<strong>Heathrow</strong>’s growth and climate changeAir transporthas real socialand economicvalue. OtherCO2 producingactivities, suchas letting heatescape frombuildings,produce nobenefit at all.Is <strong>Heathrow</strong>’s growth consistentwith tough action on climatechange?Carbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong> havethe same impact on our planetno matter where they areproduced or what activityproduces them. What isimportant for preventingdangerous climate change is theoverall quantity of <strong>emissions</strong>, nottheir source.Although they have the sameenvironmental impact, not allCO2 <strong>emissions</strong> are the same. Someactivities which produce<strong>emissions</strong> have major social andeconomic benefits. Powergeneration, for example,improves people’s standards ofliving and powers factories andoffices. Letting heat escape frombuildings, on the other hand,produces no benefit at all.Within an overall carbon dioxidecap, society may decide to takemore stringent measures toreduce <strong>emissions</strong> that produce nobenefit in order to permit more<strong>emissions</strong> from activities thatproduce important benefits.By placing an economic value oncarbon dioxide <strong>emissions</strong>, capand trading schemes aim toreduce those <strong>emissions</strong> that haveno value first - cutting theeconomy’s overall <strong>emissions</strong> inthe most efficient way possible.The environmental result is thesame, but the economy can alsocontinue to grow.Air transport has real social andeconomic value. In a globaleconomy, access to internationalmarkets is crucial for businesssuccess. This means that aviationmight continue to grow withinan overall <strong>emissions</strong> cap. This isn’taviation passing the buck – theoverall quantity of emission stayscapped, and the cost to airlines ofpurchasing permits to pollutefrom industries that havereduced their own CO2 <strong>emissions</strong>will be reflected in the cost offlying. What it does mean is thatwe reduce the total amount ofcarbon dioxide in the atmospherewithout losing the benefits ofaviation.The UK’s C02 <strong>emissions</strong> (%) by industry 53Industry 26%Household 25%Road transport 24%Other 19%Aviation 6%38 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 39


<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate changeNext stepsWe take our climate change responsibilities seriously. Although aviation contributesless than 2% of global greenhouse gas <strong>emissions</strong> it should enjoy no special treatmentand must address its climate change impacts.We believe that we are workinghard to improve our ownenvironmental performance butwe acknowledge that there isalways more that we can do.Our strategy for managing theclimate impact of our airports hasthe following components:Aviation in the air• to lobby for aviation to beincluded in the EU EmissionsTrading Scheme as soon aspossible. The current systemproposed by the EU couldlead to a 45% reduction in<strong>emissions</strong> by 2020 comparedto business as usual.• to work with the industry tosupport technologicaldevelopment, and improveairspace management so thatplanes fly more direct routes.Aviation on the ground• to reduce our existing<strong>emissions</strong>, especially fromenergy use in our terminals.This will include majorinvestment in energy-efficienttechnology and behaviouralchange to achieve moreefficient use of our operations.We will also source morerenewable energy and fit lowor zero carbon on-sitegeneration of power whereeconomically viable.• to increase the proportion ofstaff and passengers who usepublic transport to access theairport by supportingschemes such as Airtrack.• to help airlines and otherairport companies to reduceaircraft and vehicle <strong>emissions</strong>on the airfield. This willinclude supplying airconditioning from terminalsso that aircraft can turn offtheir engines and redesigningtaxiways so that aircraft cantravel more directly to stands.Our energy strategy is supportedby the Carbon Trust, through aPartnership Agreement. TheCarbon Trust is a governmentbackedbody established toprovide UK businesses andindustry with advice on reducingcarbon <strong>emissions</strong> by using lowcarbontechnologies andbecoming more energy efficient.Each year we report on ourprogress against a series ofcorporate responsibility targets.Our current report details all ofour environmental policies and isavailable atwww.heathrowairport.com/corporateresponsibility. Here youcan find further informationabout climate change as well asour policies on air quality; noise;surface transport; waste;biodiversity; water quality; ourcommunity; our economic role;our people; health and safety;and security.40 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 41


References1 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Fourth Assessment Report, 20072 Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 20063 IPCC - Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth AssessmentReport of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change4 World Resources Institute, Navigating the Numbers, 20055 Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 20066 Pew Centre, Climate Data: Insights and Observations, 2004.7 Defra - http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm8 Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 20069 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999)10 DfT, Aviation and Global Warming (2004), Central case. This figure assumes the rest of the economy achieves a 60%cut in <strong>emissions</strong>.11 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999).Central case.12 Enviro-aero – http://www.enviro.aero//AviationNowandThen.aspx13 IATA – http://www.iata.org/pressroom/facts_figures/fact_sheets/Environment.htm14 Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 200615 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Fourth Assessment Report, 200716 Department for Trade and Industry, Energy White Paper, 200317 Friends of the Earth Press Release, Growth in flights will wreck climate change targets, 200518 IPCC, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere 199919 IPCC, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere 199920 Over a 100 year period. IPCC, Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to theThird Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 200132 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999)33 Sausen et al (2005) quoted in The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 200634 Hansard, 2 May 2007, Column 1671W35 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999)36 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999)?37 DfT, Aviation and Global Warming (2004), Central case38 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere (1999)39 The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 200640 The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Growth Scenarios for EU and UK Aviation: Contradictions withClimate Policy, 200541 IATA42 IATA43 Airbus44 Boeing45 IATA46 Department for Transport, The Future of Air Transport Progress Report, 200647 Chinese Government’s official web portal, english.gov.cn48 European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climate/aviation_en.htm49 http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/climate-change/ccap/50 Defra - http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm51 National Passenger Satisfaction Survey52 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/profiles/commentaries/london.asp53 Defra - http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm21 IPCC, Special Report on Aviation and the Global Atmosphere 199922 IPCC, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth AssessmentReport of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change23 IPCC, Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis24 Over a 100 year period. IPCC, Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to theThird Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 200125 IPCC, Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Third Assessment Report ofthe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 200126 World Resources Institute, Navigating the Numbers, 200527 The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 200628 The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 200629 World Resources Institute, Navigating the Numbers, 200530 Defra - http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/index.htm31 The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, 2006.42 <strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change<strong>Heathrow</strong> and climate change 43

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