Moratorium on airport infrastructure
What's the problem?
550 new airports and runways for starting and landing are planned or in construction worldwide combined with runway expansions, new terminals and 1200 Infrastrukturprojekte (1200 projects regarding infrastructure.) These projects need new areas, which lead to the destruction of →Ecosystems, displacement of people and an increase in local pollution and health problems due to increased noise, traffic and (ultra) fine dust. In times of climate change, it is short-sided and irresponsible to invest in the expansion of airport-infrastructure. To continue these practices means to cement a harmful form of traffic - whereas airports should actually be reduced.
What's the measure?
An immediate expansion stop is required. A moratorium is defined as an officially ordered delay or suspension of an activity or a law. In the past, there have been many successful moratoriums, such as the nuclear moratorium in Germany or the coal-moratorium in the United States. Thus, it is possible and very necessary, to impose an airport-expansion-moratorium throughout Germany.
How can the implementation look like?
The expansion-moratorium can be implemented by the German Federal Government, due to climate-emergency. If this takes too long, cities can take the initiative and impose a moratorium on the local airport. For example, in Munich, this already exists.
References to other measures
The measure would stop the problem from getting worse. However, this isn't sufficient - a reduction of air traffic and airports is necessary.
Further literature and sources
- stay grounded: Degrowth of Aviation - reducing air travel in a just way (2019, abgerufen am 21.2.2020) https://stay-grounded.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Degrowth-Of-Aviation_2019.pdf
