In a statement, Zero states that it is directly against an increase in capacity at Humberto Delgado airport, announced by the Government because it translates into an increase in aircraft movement, noise, air pollution, and the risk of air accidents in the city of Lisbon.
The association emphasises that the increase in capacity at Lisbon airport, which was not foreseen in the recommendations of the Independent Technical Commission (CTI) on the new airport, goes much further by proposing an increase in the airport's capacity from 38 movements per hour to 45, "which would worsen the scourge to which many citizens of Lisbon are exposed daily, day and night, due to the intense flight of planes over the city".
"What is required of all responsible actors is that they commit and make every effort to implement, in the shortest possible time, a credible environmental licensing process and the construction of new airport infrastructure that allows the deactivation of the current airport of Lisbon", he adds.
ZERO also denounces "what it considers to be an attempt to avoid the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment for the airport's expansion, by announcing an increase in its capacity by 18.4%, a value lower than the 20% that, according to legislation, triggers the need to enforce this instrument".
However, the association argues that "the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment of any work in Humberto Delgado is absolutely unequivocal, regardless of the amount of capacity increase or even if it exists".
The association also states that it considers the Government's announcement to increase the airport's capacity to be hasty because due to "the scale of the losses involved, ZERO believes that any request for licensing to increase capacity will be rejected by the environmental authorities".
Some Portuguese love spending billions to do studies. But how much brain power does it take to conclude that an increase by 18% will lead to 18% more air pollution. I live directly in the flight path next to Amoreias. But that's fine, that's the price of civilization, and if you wanted to avoid expanding the old airport, we should have built a new one already. So, before we have to expand it by 40%, let's get going and do studies only when they make sense.
By Cesar penafiel from Lisbon on 22 May 2024, 12:47