In the controversial case of expansion at Heathrow airport, the UK government insists that the benefits of economic growth outweigh the environmental and wellbeing costs. But what if focusing on prosperity is a shortsighted approach? The debate about a third runway, placed in the context of exponential growth in travel and tourism, makes the impact on people and the environment clear to see.
Tourism accounts for an estimated 8% of global CO2 emissions, and emissions related to tourism will continue to grow despite technological advances. The Heathrow expansion, for example, has been shown to be incompatible with net-zero requirements.
