THE Dorset coast and hinterland should grasp the opportunity offered by the demand for sustainable tourism which is set to grow rapidly.

Mike Joslin’s letter (January 12) set out some environmental facts about the role of the transport sector as the UK’s major driver behind greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE).

He points out that GHGE from aviation amount to “only two per cent” of global emissions.

True, but significantly the UK Government in its current Consultation Document “Aviation 2050” [1] points out that aviation accounts for seven per cent of total UK GHGE [2].

This is a significant proportion, given that we need to move to zero carbon emissions by 2030 if we are to have a realistic chance of meeting the 1.5C goal set by the Paris Climate Agreement.

To make matters worse, Aviation 2050 projects an increase of more than 50 per cent in annual UK air passengers over the next 30 years or so. [3]

Worse still, we are told that globally air passenger numbers are likely to double by 2037 [4] whilst in 2017 global air freight was increasing twice as fast as overall global trade. [5]

There is no technology available to make aviation zero carbon.

So the Committee on Climate Change [6] notes that as other sectors decarbonise more quickly, the aviation sector could contribute 25 per cent of UK GHGE by 2050.

Unfortunately our Government fails to see the nonsense of encouraging increased aviation whilst falsely claiming to be a world leader in the fight against global warming.

As individuals we need to take responsibility for our personal carbon footprint as we transition towards a zero carbon world.

Travelling by aeroplane makes a huge increase in personal carbon footprint which conflicts with this zero carbon future.

Encouragingly, increasing numbers of people are now pledging to fly less – or better not at all.

They will still want to holiday and where better than the marvellous coastal towns and villages of Dorset’s Jurassic Coast.

They will be seeking out not only the best but the greenest destinations, a golden opportunity for Dorset’s potential green tourism trade!

1. Aviation 2050: The Future of Aviation, December 2018

2. ibid 3.77 3. ibid 1.18 4. ibid Fig3, p23 5. ibid 1.19 6.ibid 3.77

DR GRAHAM LAMBERT

Hillside, Gypsy Lane

Weymouth