Well there's yet more corroboration today for some of the issues I've been banging on about in regard to the climate impacts of aviation as reported here on the BBC. The news item covers a report issued by the UK's Sustainable Development Commission on the future of aviation called 'Breaking the Holding Pattern'. The essence of the report focuses on the 'over-egged' economic justifications for airport and aviation expansion and how much these really benefit the UK and casts doubt on the ability of technological innovation in the aviation industry to reduce carbon emissions in the face of wildly spiralling demand. Crucially however it cites the massive gap opening up in the UK economy due to the 'tourist deficit' whereby fuelled by the growth in cheap flights UK holidaymakers spend £18 billion more abroad than incoming tourists spend in the UK...a huge drain in the context of the current credit crunch. It would seem that 'Buying British' while holidaying on our wonderfully diverse set of islands is not only good for the country its good for the whole planet.
