A group of citizens’ initiatives and environmental associations have announced manifestations at six Dutch airports, including Groningen Airport Eelde. The coalition wants to protest on Saturday 14 May against ‘the growing nuisance and pollution from air traffic’.
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With speakers, music and a moment of silence, the demonstrators want to make clear their wish for the shrinkage of the aviation sector. “The demonstrations on May 14, 2022 will start at 11 a.m., are peaceful and expressly do not aim to restrict access to the airports,” the initiators report.
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Organizations such as Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion, Urgenda and the Nature and Environment Federation Drenthe support the actions. Air traffic over our country has been increasing again for several months after a relatively quiet period during the corona pandemic. “Now that the nuisance is growing again, residents are realizing how great the impact of excessive air traffic is on their living environment and health.”
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According to the protesters, aviation makes a major contribution to global warming, poses a threat to public health and causes noise pollution. The campaign also focuses on politics. “The Dutch government has been promoting air traffic for decades,” they argue.
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“The result of this political choice is that residents in the vicinity of airports are confronted with much more nuisance and pollution than is necessary for a healthy contribution of aviation to the Dutch economy. The widely supported manifestations are a protest against the growth, the unfair exemptions for the aviation industry and against the lack of protection of people and the environment against nuisance and pollution.”
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In addition to the manifestation at Groningen Airport Eelde, actions are being held at Schiphol, Eindhoven, Rotterdam and Maastricht airports.
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