A UN meeting on aviation and climate, progress on noise action plans, and a willow farm at East Midlands - Aviation Environment FederationAviation Environment Federation

1st April, 2010

AEF has been busy with a number of events in the run-up to Easter, so this update covers the past three weeks.

Tim took part in meeting called by the president of ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organisation of the UN) alongside representatives from just 19 countries and one from the aviation industry. This was the first of a number of discussions scheduled for the ‘Directors General Climate Informal Group’ or ‘Friends of the President’ group, to contribute to a paper on global measures to tackle aviation emissions, which will be presented to the ICAO assembly in the autumn.

Climate issues, and particularly aviation’s inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading System were in the minds of those attending the Repair or Replace conference on aero-engine maintenance, at which Cait presented. And the Institute for Civil Engineers’ roundtable discussion, following up on ICE’s consultation on the future of the aviation industry gave Cait the opportunity to spell out the scale of the challenge of fitting aviation’s emissions into a UK carbon reduction strategy.

Also in recent weeks we’ve met with government representatives from both DfT and Defra to discuss our report on airport noise action plans and submitted our response to the DfT’s consultation on reform of aviation regulation, which included a proposed general environmental duty for the CAA. Tim addressed the AGM of a local environmental group in Surrey, and Nic attended a meeting to discuss how evidence will be heard on the proposed London Plan and Transport Strategy .

Recent inquiries have included questions about low flying aircraft in Derbyshire, planning procedures for an airfield in Herefordshire, and noisy helicopters at night. And new on the AEF website is commentary on Defra’s long-overdue noise policy statement, on the outcome of the legal challenge to the government’s decision to expand Heathrow, and on a willow farm at East Midlands airport.