Extinction Rebellion Bristol have written an open letter to Mayor Marvin Rees calling on him to publicly and unequivocally oppose the expansion of Bristol Airport.
It comes after the date of the airport's controversial expansion planning meeting has been set to take place at
To date there have been more than 5,000 objections and some 2,159 letters of support.
And now, Extinction Rebellion's open letter puts extra pressure on the Mayor Marvin Rees to radically reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030.
In the letter, Extinction Rebellion Bristol open address the mayor urging him to "Be on the right side of history". They mention they are proud Bristol was the first UK city to declare a climate emergency.
They say: "We recognise that Bristol City Council and the City Office are working hard behind the scenes with the One City Plan in radical efforts to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030."
However, Extinction Rebellion Bristol are concerned this pledge might be at risk if the council allow a 30 per cent increase in flights to and from an expanded Bristol Airport.
They have called on Marvin Rees to stop it by writing: "As a statutory consultee, you have the power to influence the planning application process. Please use that power now."
In the past, Marvin Rees has acknowledged that all available evidence needs to be taken into consideration before future airport expansion.
B&NES Council members voted to oppose the airport’s expansion when they declared a climate emergency, amid concerns about increased congestion on rural roads in their area. They also said there was a lack of evidence about the economic benefit.
But South Gloucestershire Council are convinced there will be significant economic benefits to the region, but did add the expansion needed to be supported by a “step change” in public transport improvements.
However, Extinction Rebellion point to the idea that at a time where people from scientists, to indigenous people, school children and activists worldwide are calling for a change in which leaders address and deal with the environment, now is the time for the Mayor to act.
To back up their case to the Mayor, Extinction Rebellion Bristol point towards how countries such as Sweden and Germany are now experiencing a shift from air travel to train and how a similar consultation on the expansion of Leeds Bradford Airport led to it being opposed by members of the Leeds Climate Change Citizens' Jury.
Extinction Rebellion Bristol also point to how the airport expansion will impact upon wildlife, increase pollution and impact upon people's mental and physical health who live in North Somerset and these views have also been reflected by B&NES Council members.
The group also points to how airport expansion will have no economic benefit for the area and how planning in the housing sector, through building new homes and retro fitting old ones, will instead add to more jobs in the area.
If anything, Extinction Rebellion Bristol point to how air travel creates economic inequalities rather than job opportunities to the local and rural economy.
In the letter, they say: "An estimated 70 per cent of flights are taken by a wealthy 15 per cent of the population. Why enable a small number of rich people to live even more unsustainably while low-earning people locally and globally are left to suffer the worst effects of air pollution and climate breakdown?
"With UK airports planning to expand almost three times faster than the Committee for Climate Change says is sustainable, who is going to be bold enough to set the right example?"
The group above all urge the Mayor Marvin Rees to carefully think about his decision and maintain Bristol's status as a 'Green City'.
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