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Today's demonstration at Stansted airport is dramatic - the first time that protesters have occupied a British civilian runway - but it is not likely to be the last such action.
Organisers Plane Stupid have been among the more militant groups but there are others prepared to use peaceful direct action, notably Greenpeace. More seriously for the airport authorities and Government, they are part of a movement with rapidly growing support.
It is fuelled both by the anger of local residents and by those angry with the Government's cosy support for the aviation industry.
So far, there is little sign either that ministers will drop their support for the industry's apparently endless expansion, or that they plan to address this fastest-growing source of UK carbon emissions.
Thus at Stansted, ministers gave the go-ahead in October for plans that will allow the airport's owner, BAA, to increase passenger numbers from 25million to 35 million a year.
And last week, the Transport Secretary, Geoff Hoon, postponed until January the result of the Government's consultation on Heathrow expansion, which is widely expected to approve a third runway.
Meanwhile, last month's Climate Change Act commits the UK to an 80per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Thanks to a backbench rebellion, that target now includes aviation emissions.
For some environmentalists, direct action now looks the only way of getting the Government's attention. Following the acquittal last month of six Greenpeace activists who broke into a power station in Kent on the grounds that their actions were necessary to stop climate change, Plane Stupid could get away with it.
Reader views (8)
Thre cheers to Lily Kember & Plane Stupid. Without people like this, our children will have no future.
The government & corporations are trying to expand airports - we need a strong social movement and direct action to stop them in their tracks, to have any chance of avoiding a tipping point, millions of refugees and increased resource conflict. Stansted is all short-haul flights. Flights to 2nd homes and Christmas shopping - luxuries that future generations can't afford.
These young activists are risking their liberty to maintain a future safe for all - including those in Hull, Sudan or Bangladesh. If we fail to build the social movement that stops climate change's worst impacts, in 25 years our children will ask why more of us didn't block runways.
- Michael, London, England, 08/12/2008 15:45
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After a donkey of a judge let off the Kingsnorth rabble, other misfits will just feel free to cause whatever mayhem they like, regardless of who suffers.
The founder of Greenpeace, Patrick Moore - not the elderly astronomer - noted that after the fall of Soviet communism, the eco-movement had become the refuge for the agitprop brigade.
Idiots like the minister Ed Miliband talk up this direct action as if it were a popular call to action. Most people I know are very sceptical over the hyped claims over global warming and the like.
- Jools, London, 08/12/2008 14:27
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Anita, Colchester,
Do you have any facts to back your assertion that:
"...most of [the flights the British take] are within 300 miles of their destination - short-haul flights that are easily reached by train"
I'm sceptical. There are not many destinations under 300 miles you can fly from London -- Edinburgh is 330 miles! Not to mention of course trains are usually far more expensive in the few cases they are viable over short-haul flights.
- C Harrison, London, 08/12/2008 14:00
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Well done Plane Stupid - while the BBC have clearly allowed the blog to be hijacked by BAA and BA PR agents the truth is theaction today is but a taster for us all. The increased morbidity that flows from the engines of these flights, the asthma rates that sky rocket and the utter misery to millions who must live with aviation noise making outside tasks all but impossible. The deceit and misdirection by ministers, BBC which has demonstarted a remarkable reluctance to report anyone but BAA apologists and of course BAA and BA is on amonumental scale. We must fight and fight some more to get these insane plans dropped - Direct Action was good enough for suffragettes its good enough for me and the environment.
- Christian Ball, London, UK, 08/12/2008 13:34
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Heathrow has been the largest airport in thUK for at least 50 years. How many of the protesting idiots who live close by didn't notice it when they moved there? And who do you think creates the demand for the flights? Yes, the population of the country. If we believe in democracy, let's count the number of passengers per year flying from the UK versus the number of protesters? That would be multiple millions. In an economic downturn, nobody cares about the environment and if you check a few recent articles, the doubts on the global warming "industry" are growing.
- Jon, london, 08/12/2008 13:14
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Excellent article and so very true... This action is a direct consequence of people feeling powerless, after participating in the democratic process of (sham) public consultations, inquiries and a lack of vision from all political parties and when it is so blatantly obvious that a business with vested interests (BAA) is so closely linked to a Government that will do anything to appease the Business community it is no wonder that this direct action has happened.
I raise a toast to the brave activists who took part in this and look forward to reading about the next ones because there will be many more and rightly justified too.
- Pol Sifter, Manchester, 08/12/2008 13:13
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Please don't forget that Newham Council has agreed to let London City Airport have an additional 40,000 flights (up to 120,0000) a year in on of the most densely populated areas in London , with Royal Docks where the airport is situated having one of the highest asthma figures in the country.
The noise , pollution and community impact already is devastating without the need for additional flights.
The Taxpayer already pays £5.5 million to cover the airports costs with the airport contributing NOTHING. Newham is one of the poorest boroughs in the country
- Darren, east london, 08/12/2008 13:13
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I support the campaigners at Stansted today. They are highlighting this Government's abject failure to take the issue of climate change seriously and translate it from 'future targets' into much needed policy and solutions today. We have to act now if we are going to prevent climate catastrophe - this is not some future sci-fi flick, this is the reality that we are all facing if we fail to curb our climate changing emissions.
People in Britain fly more than people in any other country in the world, and most of these flights are within 300 miles of their destination - short-haul flights that are easily reached by train. The long-term trends for aviation show it is the fastest growing source of emissions in the UK and if it carries on growing as predicted, scientists say it will eat up our carbon budgets. This means turning off our lights, taking every car off the road and shutting down every power station just to let people fly.
The minimal 'disruption' caused this morning at Stansted pales into comparison when we consider that billions of additional people will suffer drought, flooding, disease and death and many species will be lost as a result of climate change.
Well done to Plane Stupid.
- Anita, Colchester, UK, 08/12/2008 11:41
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