Leading professors say no to new SI airport proposal

Ōtepoti – Eleven of New Zealand’s leading academics urged incoming prime minister Chris Hipkins, business leaders and politicians not to proceed or support an airport proposal at Tarras in Central Otago as it runs against prevailing research.

Professors from Otago, Canterbury, Lincoln, Victoria, Massey and Auckland universities have sent an open letter to key politicians and business people.

The researchers, with expertise in the fields of business, economics, climate science, sustainability, Māori and indigenous studies, tourism, the environment, agriculture, and policy studies, outline why the airport proposal should be shelved.

These include  significant environmental, social, cultural and economic as well as political and reputational consequences of failing to reduce carbon emissions by building a new airport during a climate emergency. 

The letter also raises concerns about negative impacts on Central Otago’s environment, flora and fauna, strain on regional infrastructure, impact on local and regional communities, wider economic consequences, intergenerational impacts and the wellbeing of those living locally.

The letter was sent earlier to the board of Christchurch Airport, the company behind the proposal to build an airport at Tarras. It was also sent to the airport company’s shareholders Christchurch City Council (75 percent owner) and government 25 percent).

New Zealand has committed to substantially reducing its carbon emissions. It is already proving difficult to reduce carbon emissions. Government is asking among others,  the farming sector, the public sector and the energy sector, to take urgent and major steps to curb emissions.

Encouraging New Zealanders and visitors to Aotearoa to fly less is an important behaviour change which will reduce emissions significantly; developing a new airport in Central Otago will have the opposite effect.

A total of 12 percent of New Zealand’s gross CO2 emissions come from aviation. New Zealand is the sixth highest emitter of aviation emissions per capita in the world.