October 3rd: Let’s march on airports
The Stay Grounded network invites groups to join the French mobilization for a reduction of air traffic and a just transition towards a climate-safe transport system.
13 Grounded Holiday Destinations to Put on Your Bucket List
The original version of this article was written in Dutch by our Let’s Stay Grounded campaign partner Natuur en Milieu.
Greenwashing: Court Ruled Against Airline KLM
Claims for high use of biofuels debunked as misleading // More rulings could follow on the aviation industry’s greenwashing Vienna/Amsterdam, June 30th 2020: KLM just recently lost the case against Eric Stam, revealing the practice of the Dutch Airline of greenwashing...
Emissions Offsetting: a Modern Sale of Indulgences
Offsetting emissions from flights is a popular measure amongst organisations trying to implement more sustainable travel policies. However, offsets generally means no real change in behaviours and policies, and is virtually useless in terms of emissions reductions....
Call to ban short haul flights in France
On July 3rd, Stay Grounded and its member Climate Action Network France (Réseau Action Climat), together with 15 other organisations, sent a letter to the French Minister of Ecological and Solidarity Transition demanding the government to limit domestic air...
Traveling by cargo ship: climate-friendly alternative or not?
How useful is it to consider piggybacking on a ship as an alternative to an intercontinental flight? Is a journey with a container ship part of a summer without flying? The Belgian campaign Summer Without Flying inspires people to rediscover alternatives for air...
Electric flying unfeasible for longer distances
In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the use of electricity as a source of energy for aircraft. Is ‘sustainable flying’ within reach? An expert from the aviation industry explains.
Grounding Travel Policies in Organisations
In the Stay Grounded webinar on “Grounding travel policies in organisations” we explored different measures available to organisations to reduce business air travel. The webinar had a focus on academia, with inputs from University Bergen and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
CORSIA Baseline Change: Aviation’s Climate Regulation Is Broken Beyond Repair
Today, the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) unilaterally decided to change the baseline for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) to 2019, further watering down an already extremely weak system....
How to Do Grounded Online Campaigning
How can small NGOs or grassroots groups run multiple social media channels like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram in an effective way and coordinate properly?
AUA-Rettung: Bruchlandung für das Klima
Wien, 8. Juni – Die Klimagerechtigkeits-Organisationen Stay Grounded und System Change, not Climate Change kritisieren die heute beschlossene Einigung auf Staatshilfen für die Austrian Airlines. Aus Sicht der Klima-Aktivist*innen sind die vorgestellten Klima-Maßnahmen...
Airport Conflicts – Struggles for Environmental Justice
All across the globe airport projects involve new land acquisition, the destruction of ecosystems, displacement of people and local pollution and health issues. This webinar presented the results of 300 socio-environmental conflicts related to the expansion or creation of new airports or aerotropolis that were mapped in research in collaboration between Environmental Justice Atlas and Stay Grounded.
Campaigns to reduce aviation – a movement for the privileged?
Summary of our webinar to explore inclusiveness and social justice in our communications and actions As a global network, Stay Grounded has members all over the world and the global solidarity work is central to our work. Still...
9 billion bailout to Lufthansa
Find here the German press release of our member "Am Boden bleiben", critizicing the decision taken today on a 9 billion Euro bailout for the German airline Lufthansa, granted without any social or environmental conditions. The German activist group "Am Boden bleiben"...
Not every train is good – Why we have to say “NO to the Maya train”
All around the world people from our member groups are fighting against new airports or airport expansions. But a just and climate safe mobility is not only about reducing aviation and airports. It is about building a transport system and infrastructure that supports...
Airline bailouts – Has Air France been tied down by ‘green strings’?
This is an edited version of an article originally published by Calum Harvey-Scholes of the Exeter University Energy Policy Group Covid-19 has spread rapidly around the world, partly due to busy international transport connections. Attempts to suppress its...
Aktion gegen Rettungspaket für Lufthansa
Ergebnisse heutiger Online-Pressekonferenz und Aktion zur Übergabe von Petition ans BMWi // 338 Organisationen und über 70.000 Menschen fordern in Kampagne #SavePeopleNotPlanes soziale und ökologische Konditionen für Rettung der Flugindustrie Berlin - 30. April 2020:...
AUA-Staatshilfen: Zehn Maßnahmen für klimagerechten Umbau
Das Netzwerk Stay Grounded warnt angesichts der fortschreitenden Verhandlungen mit den Austrian Airlines vor bedingungslosen Staatshilfen für die Flugindustrie und präsentiert zehn Vorschläge für konkrete Maßnahmen, um den Flugverkehr angesichts der Coronakrise...
Next Webinars on Social and Environmental Justice: 30th of April and 7th of May
During the past year we had many discussions in our network about our news campaigns and whether they are inclusive and diverse. Also in our last network meeting we agreed to strengthen the Global South perspectives in out network and bring in more diversity in terms...
AUA-Staatshilfen: Keine Millionengeschenke auf Kosten des Klimas
Das Netzwerk Stay Grounded fordert Rettungspakete für die Flugindustrie an klare sozial-ökologische Kriterien und Klimapläne im Einklang mit dem 1,5°C-Limit zu koppeln. Ein entsprechender offener Brief an die Bundesregierung wird von 30 österreichischen Organisationen...
250 Organisations Demand Red Lines for Aviation Bailouts
#SavePeopleNotPlanes: Open letter demands that workers and the climate are put first 6th of April 2020 - Today, more than 250 organisations from 25 countries published an open letter directed to governments, urging them to resist any aviation lobby attempts to rush...
Open letter: COVID-19 Just Recovery Principles
With their measures against the Covid-19 crisis, governments must follow principles that ensure a just recovery. These principles must ensure that a future after Corona will be healthier and greener, more social, democratic and resilient. Together with hundreds of...
Airline bailouts: Save people, not planes
++ Version française ++ Today’s meeting of EU transport ministers must not provide unconditional bailouts for airlines. Stay Grounded Network demands funding for just transition and climate jobs. Vienna, 18th of March 2020: Today, an extraordinary meeting by EU...
Erasmus Student Network’s partnership with Ryanair– outdated in times of climate crisis
Stay Grounded sends open letter urging the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) to end partnership with low-cost carrier Ryanair and instead collaborate with rail companies. Version française voir ci-dessous Ryanair, along with Erasmus Student Network (ESN), has committed to...
Heathrow Third Runway Ruling: Milestone and Hope for other Struggles
The Stay Grounded Network is celebrating today's decision by the UK court of appeal to declare the construction of the planned third runway at Heathrow Airport illegal because the UK’s climate mitigation commitments and the Paris Agreement. The construction of the...
Filipino fishers join global climate strike
Filipino fisherfolk fighting against Bulcan Aerotropolis and wider infrastructure development, which is destroying wetland in Manila Bay, have started a mobilization called 'Fishers Rise Up!' 20/02/2020: Bulakan, Bulacan - The Fishers Rise Up! initiative includes a...
How to Tell Grounded Stories
Aviation is deeply engrained in the lifestyle of many people in the Global North. Decades of advertising and campaigning by the industry lead to a view of flying that is connected to freedom and an open minded society. But with the rapidly escalating climate crisis...
New night train Vienna – Brussels celebrated by climate action groups in both cities
After more than 15 years of absence, the night train connecting Brussels and Vienna returns. Twice a week, travelers can now travel in their sleep between the two capitals. It is only a modest start, but in both cities Stay Grounded members welcomed the new night train as a positive step towards a more climate friendly transport system. The first departing trains were celebrated directly on the platform by activists wearing pyjamas.
Paris airport expansion opposed by 67 mayors
France: 67 mayors, among them the current mayor of Paris, officially oppose the Roissy CDG airport expansion in an open letter to E. Macron. On Thursday 16th, a group of mayors representing more than sixty cities surrounding Paris gave a press conference on the topic...
Consumer shaming distracts from the core problem
Sigh. There we go again. This time, it is Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of clothing giant H&M who's reprimanding the climate movement. "A pattern of shaming that initially targeted air travelers rapidly spreads into other industries. Inspired by the Swedish teenager...
First success and next round: Global Solidarity with Protests against Karad Airport Expansion
Local authorities finally listen to affected farmers – After first success Stay Grounded Network sends follow-up letter to Prime Minister of India urging to stop Karad Airport expansion. Stay Grounded had been informed that the previous letter had an impact…
Degrowth of Aviation
How to reduce air travel in a just way? On 5th of December, Stay Grounded presented the new report "Degrowth of Aviation. Reducing air travel in a just way" in a webinar. The report had been produced with much input from the conference on Degrowth of Aviation held in...
Flying the Way Forward in Sustainable Tourism?
Instead of fueling flights, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council should walk their talk and work towards sustainable tourism that rapidly reduces aviation, demands an open letter by the Stay Grounded Network.
New Study: Measures to reduce air travel in a just way
Stay Grounded Network releases report “Degrowth of Aviation - Reducing Air Travel in a Just Way” December 3, 2019 - On the occasion of the climate summit COP 25, the Stay Grounded network publishes a new report on “Degrowth of Aviation”. It combines a multitude of...
System Change and/or Behaviour Change?
On Oct. 29th 2019, our second Stay Grounded Webinar took place. We discussed with experts the role of behaviour change approaches regarding the much needed systemic change of our society and new social theories reframing the role of the individual in instigating...
XR TARGET CARBON INFRASTRUCTURE! Attempt to shut down London City Airport (LCA)
As part of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) London Shutdown Autumn Rebellion fortnight, in the morning of October 10th, a dozen or so activists arrived to attempt to shut down LCA and stay for 3 days. They were soon joined by 100 re-inforcements but were met by a mass police presence of over 100 officers surrounding and trying to…
Protest against Roissy Airport Expansion, France
Protest took off against the project of Terminal 4 at Roissy Airport, Paris, France: Stay Grounded Member Non Au Terminal 4 interrupted a meeting on the project’s public consultation organized by project developer ADP. The activists called for an alternative assembly of project opponents outside Airport’s House of Environment which led to a walk-out of two thirds of the audience.
The “System” and/or the “Behaviour”? What do we need to change? A Discussion and a Webinar
Systemic change – on political, economic and cultural levels – is necessary to avert a climate catastrophe, and should have started decades ago. In the past years, we have not only witnessed how slowly the political and economic system is able to adapt – but that in...
Forced tourism or: Travelling without Economy class
Article by Yayo Herrero, Spanish activist and ecofeminist professor, anthropologist, agricultural engineer and graduate in Social Education. Summer has passed, and with it lots of holidays and travelling. Many people went away for a few weeks. The seas have been be...
Protests against International Aviation Emissions Strategy
Planned protests in Montreal at International Aviation Assembly (24th of September to 4th of October) // New briefing exposes prposed palm oil in airplane tank & aviation emissions scheme (CORSIA) as set to fail to reduce aviation emissions Contact: Magdalena...
Open Letter: Global Solidarity with Protests against Karad Airport Expansion
On September 19, the Stay Grounded Network sent out an open letter to the Prime Minister of India and representatives of Maharashtra State in support of the affected farmers and citizens protesting against the expansion of Karad Airport with a sit-in since July 29th 2019.
CORSIA – better or worse than nothing?
The next ICAO Assembly on CORSIA will take place in Montreal from the 24th of September until the 4th of October 2019. Stay Grounded offered a webinar on the 29th of August that explained the current status in the CORSIA process and indicated ways to resist the problematic scheme. Find a shortened version of the recorded webinar, and an overview here.
Sit-in of farmers for more than a month against Karad Airport expansion
For 36 days, small-scale farmers have been protesting days and nights with a sit-in in front of the district’s planning administration (Satara Collector Office) against the expansion of Karad Airport in Maharashtra State, India. The farmers had started the sit-in (Thiyya Aandola) on 29th of July and announced to continue their protest until the government meets their demands and cancels the expansion project. This agitation is the latest in the ongoing resistance of farmers opposing the airport expansion for more than 8 years. The protests take place under the aegis of the socio-political organization Shramik Mukti Dal.
Activists block fuel train to challenge airport expansion in Sweden
On the 11th of August a group of climate activists disrupted the delivery of aviation fuel to Arlanda airport outside Stockholm, Sweden by blocking 14 tank cars of fossil fuels from entering the station. Activists of the local campaign Flyglarm Arlanda peacefully trespassed into the fuel station, to challenge the expansion of the airport.
Flyglarm Arlanda announces action around Arlanda Airport
Stay Grounded members Flyglarm Arlanda plan an action on the 11th of August, targeting a secret location around Arlanda airport in Stockholm, Sweden. With the help of peaceful civil disobedience, they will challenge the expansion of the airport!
Opening of the BER successfully sabotaged
On the occasion of the technical rehearsal, a group of penguins called “Am Boden bleiben” (Stay Grounded) claimed responsibility for the prevented opening of Berlin’s breakdown airport. As part of the movement for climate justice, the penguins have been sabotaging the BER for years to prevent an increase in air traffic, reveals a video and letter claiming responsibility.
More than 300 aviation-related conflicts and environmental justice movements around the world mapped in research project
The EnvJustice project of the Environmental Science and Technology Institute at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Autonomous University of Barcelona) ICTA-UAB and the Stay Grounded network have registered more than 300 socio-environmental conflicts related to the expansion or creation of new airports or aerotropolis (airports surrounded by industrial and commercial zones). 60 of these have been analyzed and…
Aviation: Resistance sparks today in Barcelona – Climate solutions presented at Conference
“Degrowth of Aviation” Conference ends today – Action at Barcelona Airport draws red line for aviation and mass tourism Barcelona, 14th of July 2019 – This morning, dozens of activists in red suits formed a red line inside the Barcelona’s El Prat Airport in...
Barcelona: A City Exploited by Tourism and Air Traffic
Barcelona is the fourth most-visited European city, the first destination of Mediterranean cruise ships and the seventh largest European airport. While there were 3,7 million bookings in 1990, in 2016, Barcelona had more than 31 million bookings. Barcelona’s tourism...
Presenting superpolluting planes, the Paris Airshow disregards climate emergency
Paris, June 18, 2018 – Stay Grounded, an international network of more than 120 organisations working to curb the aviation sector’s unrestrained expansion, sharply criticizes the celebration of aviation growth and the presentation of supersonic start-up Boom at the Paris Air Show.
Planned Conference “Degrowth of Aviation” & Further activities of the Stay Grounded Network
Conference on how to reduce aviation on 12-14th of July in Barcelona // Action against mass tourism in Barcelona on 14th of July // European Civil Initiative to end kerosene tax exemption Vienna/Barcelona, June 12th - In one month, on the 12th of July, the conference...
SALON DU BOURGET: FACE A L’URGENCE CLIMATIQUE, GARDONS LES PIEDS SUR TERRE !
Du 17 au 23 juin se tiendra au Bourget le 53ème Salon International de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, près de quatre ans après la signature en ces lieux de l’Accord de Paris, par lequel 195 pays s’engageaient à réduire drastiquement leurs émissions de gaz à effet de serre. Exonérée de cet engagement mondial, l’industrie du transport aérien prospère, et sa contribution à l’effet de serre explose.
Supersonics are superpolluters – let’s counter the new aircraft’s push
Acccording to IATA, aircraft emitted about 850 million metric tonnes (MMT) of CO2 in 2017, or more than the entire German economy. And that doesn’t even take into account the climate impacts of other air pollutants released from burning jet fuel high in the...
“There are no emergency exits” – ATERRA activists interrupt Portugal Air Summit
Flight attendants from ATERRA campaign were the highlight of the first day of the Air Summit, the biggest aviation event in southwestern Europe. Just like a month ago during a speech from the prime-minister, there appeared paper planes flying around and a banner which...
London Heathrow Expansion: 3d Runway = Runaway Climate Breakdown
Even before the intended £18billion further expansion, Heathrow was the UK's biggest emitter of Greenhouse Gases at a time of Climate Breakdown emergency. Another runway would boost current flights of 480,000 to 740,000 seeing passengers rise to 132 million...
Arguments against extension of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
Aéroports de Paris (ADP), owner of Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG), plans to build a new terminal (T4) that would add 40 Millions passengers per year by 2037 to the present 70 millions per year. The French members of Stay Grounded made their opposition to this megaproject clear. Read their a submission to the public consultation organized by ADP.
European Parliament Elections Q&A – flying, trains and climate
Back on Track and Stay Grounded work for better cross‐border rail connections instead of an ongoing growth of flights. To inform the voters at the coming European Parliament election in May 2019, we have asked the same questions to all parties across Europe about...
Ativistas interrompem primeiro-ministro de Portugal e exigem que diga a verdade sobre os impactos do aumento do tráfego aéreo
A Rebelião da Extinção invadiu o aniversário do partido do governo, no passado dia 22 de abril, para denunciar o acordo que o governo português assinou com a multinacional Vinci para um novo aeroporto no Montijo e expansão do aeroporto da Portela. As ativistas, que...
Flying Is and Will Be a Major Source of Our Global Warming Problems and Is Currently a Great Example for Climate Injustice – so Let‘s Put Our Energies Here Before it‘s Too Late!
A replik to Sasja Beslik by Anne Kretzschmar, campaigner of Stay Grounded On April 5th, an article on the Blog Usejournal appeared, suggesting that: Let‘s start this statement with the points I agree on with Sasja Beslik: Global warming is a systemic problem and it...
Illegal construction works associated with New Mexico City International Airport
CPOOME raises an urgent alert upon the illegal construction works associated with the New Mexico City International Airport. Workers, trucks and heavy machinery had entered the Ejidos of Nexquipayac on the Texcoco Lake shore without authorization and presentation of the project to the community on March 6th. After having faced resistance by farmers, the construction company was guarded by about a hundred strikers and armed men in the second attempt, threatening ejidatarios and …
Fly Less: Zomer Zonder Vliegen’s Statement to the Airline Industry
Peter Paul Vossepoel, campaigner of Zomer Zonder Vliegen (Summer Without Flying), unanticipatedly took the stage at the Airlines for Europe Summit 2019. He told Europe’s leading airline CEOs and global aviation leaders, that in the face of the climate crisis, less flying is the only solution.
EU-Wahl: Züge vs. Flüge – österreichische Parteien im Überblick
Das europäische Netzwerk Back on Track und das internationale Netzwerk Stay Grounded setzen sich für bessere grenzüberschreitende Bahnverbindungen anstelle einer weiteren Zunahme des Flugverkehrs ein. Angesichts der bevorstehenden Europawahl wurden im Februar 2019...
Open Letter: Solidarity with Save Maldives
On Febuary 26, the Stay Grounded Network sent out an open letter to the President of the Maldives on behalf of its more than 100 global member organisations in solidarity with the Save Maldives citizen movement. It urges the recently elected President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to stop the ongoing and planned destruction of ecosystems and livelihoods for airport infrastructure – making the archipelago even more vulnerable to the climate crisis.
Save the date: Stay Grounded Conference 12-14th of July 2019
Since green growth and carbon neutral flights are an illusion, it is time to start a degrowth process of aviation. How can this look like? What are possible policy instruments that civil society should fight for, in order to put an end to the massive privileges of the aviation industry, and to bring forward a socially just and environmentally friendly transport system?
Flying for Climate Change – culture jamming action
How anti-aviation activists in Germany faked the government of Hamburg and fooled the media to debunk the city’s myth of sustainability: A group of young anti-aviation activists in Germany came up with the idea to have a fictional government agency spell out the environmentally devastating truth of Hamburg’s aviation policy, usually sugarcoated in government documents.
Solidarity with the Stansted 15
The Stansted 15 are a group of anti-deportation protesters who blocked a UK government deportation flight at Stansted Airport last year to make the links clearer between climate change, colonialism, homophobia and the border regime. In a world of the IPCC’s current forecast of 3 degrees C plus, innocent climate breakdown refugees will face …
Veleiros no Tejo contra aeroporto no Montijo
Este domingo à tarde, juntámo-nos em Lisboa para uma ação surpresa em defesa do estuário do Tejo, contra o projeto do novo aeroporto previsto para o Montijo. Enquanto na cimeira do clima na Polónia os líderes mundiais continuam o “business as usual”, dois veleiros...
132 civil society organisations critizise CORSIA in open letter to ICAO Council
Today, 132 civil society organisations from around the world sent an open letter to National Representations to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The letter comes just ahead of the 215th session of the ICAO Council to be held from 29th of October...
Stay Grounded seeks reduced aviation through UNFCCC’s Talanoa Dialogue
Stay Grounded made a submission today, recommending policy to control aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions. This opportunity to participate follows the islanders’ cultural tradition called Talanoa, and UNFCCC calls it the Talanoa Dialogue. Here we explain how …
Global Network of Organizations Recommends Ways to Reverse Aviation Growth, to UNFCCC
Stay Grounded, a new global network of about 80 organisations working to curb the commercial aviation sector’s unrestrained expansion, today submitted recommendations to the United Nations’ climate change policy body. The submission is…
Stay Grounded Action Weeks: 27 actions, 11 countries, 3 continents
The past two weeks, the new global network Stay Grounded conducted Global Action Weeks, with 130 organizations demanding the reduction of air travel and 27 actions taking place in 11 countries. The action weeks ended yesterday with…
Stay Grounded Intervention at the European Aviation Summit
Yesterday, October 3rd, two activists from Stay Grounded intervened in the opening of the European Aviation Summit in Vienna, discrediting the speach by EU Transport commissioner Violeta Bulc about the supposedly green future of aviation.
Press Release: Stay Grounded international network launched to counter aviation
This week marks the official launch of Stay Grounded, a global network of organisations and activist groups working to curb the unrestrained expansion of the aviation sector that is causing ever increasing damage to the climate and local residents. Supported by more than 100 civil society organisations, …
Press Release: ‘Bulacan Aerotropolis’ threatens marine ecology, food security – fisherfolk
Calling it as one of the biggest environmental disasters to hit Manila Bay, the activist fisherfolk group PAMALAKAYA-Pilipinas said the Bulacan Aerotropolis Project will kill both the marine ecosystem and the lives of thousands of fisherfolk who subsist by fishing in the waters of Manila Bay. The project will be constructed at the 2,500-hectare waters of Manila Bay in …
Panel Discussion: Turnabout Mobility – The Challenge to Stay Grounded
In October 2018, the Stay Grounded Network meeting as well as the Back on Track network meeting, took place together in Vienna and started with a public panel discussion. Representatives of a British trade union, of the civil society networks Stay Grounded and Back on...
New french report “L’illusion de l’aviation verte”
The aviation industry has announced its intention to become greener in the future. This report examines the different climate strategies. Do they deliver on their promises? Is carbon-neutral growth a realistic goal? “L’illusion de l’aviation verte” is written for people and groups that want to understand the greening strategies in order to effectively address aviation growth and climate change.
The illusion of green flying
A new climate agreement intended to ensure “carbon-neutral growth” in international aviation could lead to a massive increase in demand for problematic offsetting projects. Offsetting schemes for airports are a further measure to provide “green” legitimacy to the growth of the industry.
New Position Paper is out
The position paper "Stay Grounded - 13 steps for a just transport system and for rapidly reducing aviation" is ready. Find the position paper here. The paper has evolved in a almost year-long democratic consensus-based process. At several network meetings, we...