Scottish Greens say Edinburgh Airport expansion plans an act of climate vandalism
The expansion of Edinburgh airport is “wilful ignorance” of the climate emergency by developers, say the Scottish Greens.
This follows the announcement of a £500m plan that includes expansion of the terminal to accommodate more long and short haul flights.
As the largest terminal in Scotland, Edinburgh already serves more than 150 worldwide destinations, with an average of 310 flights arriving and departing from the airport daily.
Scottish Greens MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill says that the plans to expand on this are an act of climate vandalism, and wilful ignorance amidst the ongoing climate emergency facing Scotland.
Kayleigh said:
“After a summer filled with wildfires in our very own city, and heatwaves that have led to loss of life, the last thing that should be happening is an expansion of an already big and busy airport by national standards.
“These plans are an act of climate vandalism, and there is a wilful ignorance towards the pressure that even more daily flights would put on our climate efforts.
“The average family going abroad on holiday once a year is not to blame here. It is the operators and owners who willingly put profits before the planet that must be held responsible for their contributions towards our climate breakdown.
“Millions of people pass through Edinburgh airport every year, bringing eyewatering sums for the owners in the hundreds of millions region, to go alongside every other airport they operate. Trying to expand on that even further to compete with the likes of London airports when the world is on fire is completely out of touch.”