Environmentalists trying to stop the expansion of airports in Bristol, London and Copenhagen have stepped up their campaign with a direct message to the people who ultimately own all those airports - teachers in the Canadian province of Ontario.
A new international alliance has been forged, uniting campaigners in Bristol with local residents living around London City Airport and three others around Europe, to direct their campaign at the 329,000 teachers and former teachers who work or worked in state schools in Ontario. They pay money into a pension fund, which years ago bought up airports including Bristol’s as an investment.
But now, Bristol Airport’s plan to expand its terminal buildings and its capacity from nine million passengers a year to 12 million has triggered a huge battle that has seen Greta Thunberg, Government ministers and local residents get involved. The new campaign has been organised by the UK’s biggest teachers union - the NEU - along with community and medical campaigners who live around the five airports owned or part-owned by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan - or OTPP.
Read more: Teachers across Atlantic 'don't want their money spent' on Bristol Airport expansion
The OTPP entirely owns Bristol Airport, and has stuck to its expansion plans. After the planning application was turned down by councillors in North Somerset, it appealed and won, convincing a Government planning inspector to approve the plan. Now, environmentalists are challenging that decision in court.
Bristol teacher Loz Hennessy said teachers in Ontario may not know what happens with their pensions, so the video letter to them has been created. “Ontario teachers are resisting budget cuts and ever-increasing workloads: many of the same issues we face in the UK today,” said Loz Hennessey. “We stand in solidarity with their struggle and see it as related to the fight against airport expansion. What are we prioritising?
“Uniting under the banner SOFAX (Stop OTPP Funding Airport Expansion), we have launched a video to raise awareness of where Ontario teachers’ pensions are invested. By funding airport expansion, teachers’ pensions are unwittingly causing unacceptable damage to the global climate and to the health and quality of life of local people,” he added.
Climate campaigner Tanguy Tomes added: “We know teachers in Ontario are worried about climate change. Some have even campaigned on this issue before, so SOFAX seeks to build on those efforts. The Pension Plan’s claim to be a responsible investor is completely incompatible with its commitment to expanding airports across Europe,” he added.
The financial managers running the pension plan have defended the expansion of Bristol Airport. The last time campaigners reached out to teachers in Canada over the expansion plans, before last year’s planning appeal, a spokesperson for OTPP said while they take on board the views of teachers, their priority is ‘retirement security’ for members.
“We value and consider the feedback we hear from our 329,000 members, but our decision-making is guided by our mission to deliver retirement security for our members while creating a positive impact for our partners and the communities where we operate,” a spokesperson said.
“We believe the expansion of Bristol Airport is consistent with that mission and can create sustainable value for our members and Bristol Airport’s stakeholders, including employees, customers, and local communities.
“We note that Bristol Airport’s plans include a roadmap to become carbon neutral for direct emissions by 2025 and a net-zero airport by 2050. These targets align with measures we are implementing to achieve net-zero at Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan by 2050."
A Bristol Airport spokesperson said: “The plans to expand capacity at the airport will offer passengers more routes and flights from the South West directly, create jobs, facilitate inward investment and inbound tourism, and support greener and more sustainable, regional economic growth.
“Sustainable development has always been at the centre of Bristol Airport’s plans. The expansion proposals sit alongside a roadmap which sets out how the airport will achieve its ambition to become carbon neutral for direct emissions by 2025 and a net zero airport by 2050.
“These aims align with measures being implemented by Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to achieve net-zero by 2050.
“As the UK emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic it is essential that all regions of the country are given the opportunity to grow to their full potential and contribute to the national recovery effort. International trade and connectivity will become increasingly important in a post-COVID-19 and post-Brexit world – increasing aviation capacity is essential in delivering this goal,” she added.
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