Opposition to Leeds Bradford Airport expansion grows as 90 Leeds academics and third MP object to plans

Leeds Central MP Hilary Benn has also submitted his formal objection to Leeds City Council.

Mr Benn said in his objection: “The grounds for my objection are the consequence of this development for the chances of Leeds meeting its climate targets.”

Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel, who represents the LBA area in Yeadon, and Leeds East MP Richard Burgon, have also submitted objections.

The group of 90 academics, with expertise in earth and the environment, geography, civil engineering, chemical engineering, food, transport and chemistry, have written to the council to say expansion would make the climate crisis worse and that LBA has underestimated the amount of climate damaging emissions that would be caused by expansion.

One of the signatories, Professor Julia Steinberger, sits on the International Panel on Climate Change, which advises governments around the world how to tackle the climate emergency.

Leeds City Council declared a climate emergency in March 2019, outlining an ambition to “work towards” a net-zero carbon city by 2030 as a result.

LBA's plans are for a new "state of the art" £150m terminal which would accommodate seven million passengers per year by 2030.

The letter calls on Yorkshire councils, businesses and trade unions to support a sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

The academics state that LBA's focus on the low carbon of the new terminal building are a "grain of sand compared to greenhouse gas emissions from the aircraft".

LBA has also "grossly minimised the impact of aircraft emissions – by at least a factor of four", they claim, by omitting information.

The council should be investing in a fairer, more local and sustainable economy that would boost employment and keep wealth within the city, the group said.

They add: "By contrast, LBA does not offer these benefits nor represent value for money.

"There is also very limited evidence that the airport site offers any kind of trickle down or local economic benefit.

"The associated transport infrastructure is incomplete, poorly sited and likely to produce greater reliance on car based journeys."

The letter adds: "It is no exaggeration to say that the decisions we make in the next few months will have a profound impact on our lives, and those of our children, for thousands of years.

"A low-carbon economic recovery can repair the economic damage done by Covid-19 and put the world on track to tackle climate breakdown.

"This is a pivotal moment and we urge central and local government to put sustainability at the heart of the post Covid recovery."

Chris Foren, chair of the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport, welcomed the support of the academics and Mr Benn.

He added: “We need Leeds City Council to help local people move into safe and sustainable jobs.

"Jobs with a future, for the future.”

The University of Leeds signatories in full:

Professor Julia Steinberger, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds.

Professor Paul Chatterton, School Geography, University of Leeds.

MSc Jefim Vogel, School of Earth and Environment,

University of Leeds

Dr Declan Finney, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Milena Buchs, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Barbara Evans, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds

Dr Ben Rabb, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Marina Baldissera Pacchetti, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Robert Vanderbeck, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Dr. Miklós Antal, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds.

Dr Katy Roelich, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Mark Davis, School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds

Dr David Williams, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Daivd York, FREng, School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds

Dr Jennifer Fletcher, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Valerie Dupont, School of chemical and process engineering, the University of Leeds

Dr Christian Maerz, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Diana Ivanova, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Oliver Phillips FRS, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Dr Noel Cass, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Adam Booth, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Andy Emery, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Siân Evans, Research & Innovation Service, University of Leeds

Dr James Smith, School of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Leeds.

Dr Sarah Chapman, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Rory Padfield, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Katy Wright, School of Sociology & Social Policy, University of Leeds

Professor Megan Povey, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds

Dr Gesa Reiss, School of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds

Dr Charlotte Evans, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds

Dr George Holmes, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Tom Haines-Doran, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Martin Dallimer, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Mike Kirkby, School of Geography, University of Leeds.

Professor Greg Marsden, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds.

Dr Robert Newton, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Draško Kašćelan, School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, University of Leeds

Professor Simon L. Lewis, School of Geography, University of Leeds.

Dr Aisling Dolan, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Nick Malleson, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Dr Sally Russell, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Dominic O’Key, School of Philosophy, Religion and History of Science, University of Leeds

Dr Natasha Mortimer, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Andy Challinor, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Sarah Batterman, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Professor Julia Martin-Ortega, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Cat Scott, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

PhD Charlotte Weaver, School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds

Dr Ann-Kristin Koehler, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Mike Pilling, School of Chemistry, University of Leeds

Dr Lucie Middlemiss, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Professor Alan Mackie, School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds

Anna Lewandowska, Research & Innovation Service, University of Leeds

Kara Hazelgrave, Research & Innovation Service, University of Leeds

Dr Chris Smith, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Natasha Barlow, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Seb O’Connor, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds

Dr Jonathan Busch, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds

Julia Ankenbrand, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds

Dr Jennifer Saxby, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

PhD Anya Schlich-Davies, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

PhD Sarah Shallcross, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Christopher Lyon, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

PhD Josephine McSherry, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Dr. Giulio Mattioli, Department of Transport Planning, TU Dortmund University, & School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds.

Prof Sven Schroeder, School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds

Dr Roger Tyers, School of Economic, Social & Political Sciences, University of Southampton

PhD Steve Westlake, School of Psychology, Cardiff University

Dr Jennifer A. Rudd MChem MRSC, Energy Safety Research Institute, Swansea University

Dr Elke Pirgmaier, School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds

Dr Louise Jennings, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds

Dr Bing Wang, School of Fine Art, History of Art & Cultural Studies, University of Leeds

Hazel Mooney, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds.

Dr Maria Beger, School of Biology, University of Leeds

PhD Alberto Sanchez-Marroquin, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

PhD Lamprini Papafoti, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds

Benjamin Jenner, School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies, University of Leeds

Professor Anne Tallontire, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

MSc David Barns, School of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Leeds

PHD Ian Sullivan, School of Sociology, University of Leeds

Calum Carson, Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds

Dr Leif Denby, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds

Associate Professor Dr Sara Gonzalez, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Dr Christopher Hassall, School of Biology, University of Leeds

Dr Tony Fowkes, Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds

Dr David Dawson, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds

Tim Joubert, School of Geography, University of Leeds

PhD Neil McKenna, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Professor Alexis Comber, School of Geography, University of Leeds

Dr Pepa Ambrosio-Albala, School of Chemical and Process Engineering, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds