Throughout the entire draft and in particular in Chapter 8, Dublin Airport is identified as a national asset to Ireland’s economic success / an economic generator and major source of employment in Ireland and, particularly, in Fingal. Overall the plan identifies opportunities to further develop and expand Dublin airport to “maximise sustainable potential whilst also taking into account the impact on local communities, the environment and climate change”. The plan aims to support an appropriate balance between developing the unique potential of Dublin Airport as an economic generator and major employer in the County and protecting its core operational function as the Country's main international airport. The plan further aims to ensure that all development complies with the Climate Actions Objectives and the Circular Economy and waste Management Objectives in the Dublin Airport Local Area Plan 2020, or any subsequent LAP or extension of same. The unfortunate reality, however, is that no amount of compliance with such climate action objectives can offset the detrimental impacts to climate change that will result from the expansion of Dublin Airport. Despite its potential for employment and economic growth (limitations of which are discussed in Chapter 7), such expansion only moves Ireland further from its climate targets of 51% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. As mentioned above, aviation is by far the most energy-intensive and high carbon form of travel. In total, aviation makes up over 13 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU and emissions from the sector are predicted to rise annually between one and four per cent in the coming decades. If global trends continue, aviation may contribute up to 22 per cent of CO2 emissions by 2050. As well as emitting carbon dioxide, aviation emits pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. When released at high altitudes, nitrogen oxides enhance the lining of the ozone layer which leads to warmer temperatures. Soot and water vapour emitted by aircraft can create vapour trails in cold air, and researchers believe the trails could add to the greenhouse effect. Simultaneously, jet fuel emissions also set in motion reactions which can destroy methane, a gas estimated to have a warming effect 84 to 87 times greater than that of CO2 over a 20 year period. Research suggests that aviation also has a significant impact on air quality and may cause 16,000 premature deaths annually due to exposure to particulate matter. Almost half of the premature deaths are attributed to emissions from aircraft take-off and landing.
Furthermore, an unjust distribution of the global carbon budget is used through air travel whereby only about 11% of the global population travel by air (only 2-4% of global population fly internationally) and 1% of the world population emit 50% of CO2 from commercial aviation (Gossling and Humpe, 2020).
While we recognise that Ireland and Fingal is massively dependent on Dublin Airport for employment (directly and indirectly via international tourism) and economic expansion, we urge that this plan recognises the urgency and requirement for radical transitions to low carbon societies which ultimately requires reduced dependency on the aviation sector. In doing so a more just transition can be achieved for those dependent on this sector for employment. This applies not only to this chapter of the FDP but all references to the expansion of Dublin Airport as an opportunity throughout the plan.