LONDON – Local weather activist Greta Thunberg joined a march in southern England on Saturday to protest the usage of personal jets and the growth of an airport.

A whole lot of native residents and activists holding banners and placards that learn “Ban Non-public Jets” marched to Farnborough Airport, which principally serves personal plane. Some beat drums whereas others lit pink smoke flares.

The airport, positioned in Hampshire County about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of London, utilized final yr to extend its most variety of flights from 50,000 to 70,000 a yr.

Teams working to battle local weather change, together with the organizer of Saturday’s protest, Extinction Revolt, say personal jets are rather more polluting than industrial passenger airliners. Flights to and from Farnborough Airport carried a mean of 2½ passengers per flight in 2022, the group stated.

“It’s clear that non-public jets are incompatible with guaranteeing current and future dwelling situations on this planet,” Thunberg stated in a video that Extinction Revolt posted on social media.

“We’re not going to let this proceed. We’re not going to let the wealthy few who’re accountable for almost all of aviation emissions get away with sacrificing individuals and the planet,” she added.

Farnborough Airport stated that it was an essential hub for enterprise and company journey, and that it acknowledged the significance of decreasing its environmental impression.

“The airport’s environmental footprint is a fraction that of a conventional industrial airport, but it serves as one of many largest employment websites within the area,” it stated in a press release.

Thunberg, 21, a Swedish environmental campaigner who impressed a world youth motion towards local weather change, is predicted to look at a court docket in London subsequent week to face a public order offense cost. She was arrested in October throughout an illustration towards a significant oil and fuel business convention.

Thunberg was among the many activists who had been charged for searching for to dam entry to the Vitality Intelligence Discussion board. She denied the cost.

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