Environment groups shocked by aviation pollution figures

It is “shocking” that the aviation sector has not managed to reduce carbon emissions, unlike every other sector in the Netherlands, a group of environmental activist organizations wrote on Monday. The statement by Natuur & Milieu, Milieudefensie, Greenpeace and the Milieufederatie Noord-Holland was written in response to figures released by the Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) earlier in the day.

The figures showed a record decline in carbon emissions from the large industrial companies in the country, the NEa stated. But the opposite was the case in aviation, where emissions increased by 11 percent to 2.6 million tons of CO2.

“It is encouraging that the major Dutch emitters have achieved a reduction in CO2 emissions. However, this development is completely overshadowed by the shocking reality that the aviation sector has not made any progress,” the organizations wrote in reaction. “While other sectors are emitting less CO2, aviation remains stuck in its polluting habits,” the environmental groups said.

“The figures from the emissions authority today once again show that the so-called ‘green plans’ from this sector, which politicians have been relying on for years, are a big farce,” the organizations stated. A recent study by aviation economists, commissioned by Natuur & Milieu, showed “that Schiphol can shrink without damage to the economy,” they pointed out.

“We can no longer allow aviation to continue to grow unhindered, at the expense of the climate, at the expense of restful sleep and the well-being of hundreds of thousands of local residents, and at the expense of future generations,” the environmental organizations said.