Heathrow should not obstruct Cop26 plan

HEATHROW mustn’t be seen as an obstacle to the Cop 26 summit’s plan

Being someone, as most people are, very concerned about the effects of climate change on the planet, I welcome the pledge made at the Cop 26 Summit in Glasgow to reduce air pollution to net-zero by 2050.

In attempting to achieve this, it has to be done in a manner so that Heathrow Airport, one of the biggest economic assets of this country, is not punished just for what it is and instead, it be allowed to continue to thrive unhindered.

Aviation industries too are working hard on developing netzero aircrafts so as our future generations can enjoy seeing ecofriendly airplanes flying our skies and this will ultimately create for them (the aviation industries) a co-existing working partnership with the Cop 26 summit’s programme.

Recent reports have shown that, during the pandemic, when Heathrow Airport was at a stand till, how workers of its nearest towns, such as Hounslow (my own borough), Hillingdon and Slough, were those among the highest rates ones to become reliant on the Furlough Scheme, thus highlighting how the livelihoods of people living in these areas depend on the airport. By not allowing Heathrow to further develop, job opportunities for local people will be greatly affected and both local and national economies will suffer.

And whilst our airport business rivals, such as Amsterdam and Frankfurt, are watching our moves with great interest, a wrong manoeuvre on our part will be like handing the mantle over to them with ease….perhaps even to Dubai for that matter Shafick Emmambokus

Cranford