Contested Evidence – The Case for an Independent Review of Aviation Policy

In this report, the Sustainable Development Commission renews its call for an independent review of the evidence underpinning aviation policy in the UK. The report summarises the differing views of the aviation industry, businesses, government departments, academics, NGOs and citizens’ groups, highlighting the key areas of conflict that lead to weak decision making. The SDC argues that, despite a view in some quarters that opposing groups will never agree and that the government must simply press ahead with decisions on airport expansion, a greater degree of consensus over evidence is far from unattainable. Major areas of dispute include: economic costs and benefits, climate change impacts, the potential role of technology, and local air and noise pollution.