The Circular Dorking Blog

Eco Hub • Flying and the expansion of Gatwick Airport Talk

11th May 2026

The Eco hub welcomed Jonathan Essex on Sunday 10 May

This was two days after he had been voted in with an impressive majority (Green Party) to represent Redhill East in the new unitary East Surrey Council election. However he wasn’t there to talk about Green Party politics. We had invited him to talk about air travel and its carbon footprint.

DID YOU KNOW?

Aviation is responsible for about 3.5% of global climate change emissions?

Business flights only account for 10% of the flights we make – 63% are for holidays with a quarter being to visit family and friends

Being vegan for a year can be cancelled out by taking just one flight.

Jonathan is also chair of GACC (Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign) www.gacc.org.uk Overall their message is ‘Gatwick’s big enough’.

The government has already (22 September 2025) granted planning permission to Gatwick Airport to transform the northern emergency runway into an active second runway – their argument is that it will provide the country with economic growth. However daily use of this runway will mean up to 100,000 more flights each year – an average of 275 a day. It will have a significant climate impact and jeopardise the UK’s climate change commitments. Besides this it will worsen local environmental impacts such as noise and air pollution and risk gridlocking road and rail networks.

We asked Jonathan what we can do as individuals. His response was mixed – individual change on its own is not enough, but it plays a very important part in helping to shape policy, so cutting back the number of flights made per year will aid the move to alternative transport. Think of using trains and ferries for holidays instead of air travel. The Flight Free UK website has some encouraging ideas. Test your knowledge with their quiz!

But consider also, financially supporting GACC who are fighting the 22 September decision that granted permission for the new runway. GACC are fighting the go-ahead but they need considerable funding to take this to the Courts. Again, go to the website to find out more giving donations to GACC.

The highest carbon spending we can do is to sit in a plane. Each passenger is responsible for 90 kg CO2 per passenger per hour.

Thank you to author
Sarah Freeman

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