Issue - meetings

Report of the Chair of the Joint Airport Scrutiny Working Group

RESOLVED THAT

It be noted that officers will be working with the management of Gloucestershire Airport Ltd to consider whether the ceiling of 4,000 tonnes CO₂ for aircraft emissions set down in the green policy should be recalibrated.

The Chair of the Joint Airport Scrutiny Working Group was invited to address Cabinet.  This was the fourth review of GloucestershireAirport’s Green Policy. Over the last year there had been a 10 % increase in aircraft movements but a reduction in aircraft emissions of 16.6 % due the use of more modern aircraft.

The Chair explained that at the Overview & Scrutiny meeting a technical question had been raised about whether a measure of emissions was included in air-worthiness certificates. The Climate Change and Sustainability Officer had been informed by the airport’s operations manager that it was not as there were variations in the type of aviation fuel mix and the rate of fuel burn. Therefore there was a different methodology which was developed when the green policy had been drafted.

Members recognised that the national guidance for calculating CO2 emissions had changed and this was now a more accurate method, but it could impact on the airport’s ceiling for aircraft emissions. The Leader was pleased that a green policy was in place and this had been a positive process.

RESOLVED THAT

It be noted that officers will be working with the management of Gloucestershire Airport Ltd to consider whether the ceiling of 4,000 tonnes CO₂ for aircraft emissions set down in the green policy should be recalibrated.