Airport expansion has been one of the most controversial areas of government policy in recent years, with the former Labour Government promoting new runways in London as part of plans to treble the number of passengers using UK airspace.
Such unconstrained aviation growth could threaten the UK's targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A passenger taking one long-haul flight can produce more carbon dioxide than the average motorist emits in a whole year. According to some estimates, by 2040 the aviation industry alone could account for more emissions than the public, business and household sectors combined.
Larger airports exert a heavy toll on the local environment as well in terms of land-take, road traffic, pollution and noise. These negative effects have led to the creation of a vibrant network of local groups that question the supposed benefits of expanding regional airports in cities such as Bristol, Edinburgh and Exeter.
Meanwhile, national environmental organisations have teamed up with local residents to oppose the building of new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.
As well as highlighting the impacts on nearby communities, these coalitions kept the issue in the public eye by challenging the economic case for airport expansion and highlighting flaws in the process by which the government decided its aviation policy.
Environmental groups wish to see investment in alternatives to aviation, pointing out that many runways are clogged up with short-haul flights between destinations that could easily be connected by rail.
These arguments won the support of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties while in opposition, and on coming to power in May 2010 the UK's coalition Government immediately ruled out new runways at London's major airports.
The news was celebrated by airport groups around the country. But much work is still needed in order to secure a sustainable role for the aviation industry which protects the global environment as well as communities in the vicinity of UK airports.
