This summer's intense sunshine could be powering our homes. But most households can't afford to install their own solar panels. The Solar Saver scheme would change this. From @neweconomics.bsky.social and @thefinancelab.bsky.social 1/5

Our newest analysis shows how our travel habits are shifting - with the UK’s traditional seaside, countryside and small-town destinations losing out to the rise of short city breaks and holidays abroad.

Doubling down on fossil fuels won't save us from rising energy bills - but it would be terrible for our climate. Alex Chapman on BBC Five Live this afternoon.

🔔 New study🔔 What is the relationship between air transport and economic growth in Europe? Dr Felix Pot and I break it down like never before in our new report for @neweconomics.bsky.social and T&E: /1

Check out our senior economist @alchap.bsky.social on the Energy Revolution podcast talking airports, economic growth and the climate crisis. Full episode available here: linktr.ee/energyrevolu...

The Energy Revolution Podcast@energyrevolution.bsky.social · 11mo ago

UK aviation policy is wishful thinking, banking on carbon capture, tech not proven at scale, to cut 50% of 2050 emissions ✈️⚠️ 🎙️ #EnergyRevolution #CarbonCapture #NetZero #ClimateAction

I did my first episode on the NEF podcast 🫣

New Economics Foundation@neweconomics.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Net zero is being sucked into the culture war because so far, green policies haven't been designed to be in the interests of most people. NEF's @alchap.bsky.social on the latest episode of the New Economics Podcast

My dad was arrested in London yesterday for holding a placard saying "I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action". He's a retired university lecturer who is involved in his local church. Prior to yesterday's demonstration his only legal infraction was a speeding ticket for doing 36 in a 30 zone.

The right questions getting asked. This week in the Times, Alistair Osborne punctures the myth that a third runway at Heathrow is "crucial for business". Why? Because of the CEO's admission that the "decline in business travel appears to be permanent.../1 www.thetimes.com/business-mon...

Heathrow’s investment plan punctures the third runway myth

The airport has admitted the decline in business travel is permanent, and wants to spend £10bn raising passenger numbers by only ten million

thetimes.com

This just in. Kemi thinks the actions of Palestine Action at Brize Norton might have stopped a war crime... Not sure she fully thought this one through 😂

You've heard of frequent flyers, but we've got some new research for you on the idea of ultra- frequent flyers. Exciting work from my colleague @alchap.bsky.social where he makes a compelling case as to why this new class of flyers is not paying it's fair share of tax and how we can fix it. 👇👇

New Economics Foundation@neweconomics.bsky.social · last yr.

This government wants to expand airports up and down the country. But who will this really benefit? Ultra-frequent flyers. @alchap.bsky.social spoke at today's Environmental Audit Committee.

There's broad public support for net zero by 2050 & people are concerned about the impact of the climate crisis. So let's deliver net zero policies that benefit ordinary people rather than calling it into question. @alchap.bsky.social spoke to LBC News in light of Tony Blair's comments.

🚨The government has given Luton airport approval to expand. This is despite the fact that it will do very little to boost economic growth and will be devastating for our climate goals. @alchap.bsky.social responds.

somewhat tongue in cheek here but I saw this and was reminded immediately of @alchap.bsky.social talking about the negative impacts of air travel expansion

Hi @davidtwilcock.bsky.social. I just wanted to flag that your Mail Online piece from Thursday is hugely misleading & seems to be based off a fundamental misunderstanding of the statistics I'll explain why, then maybe you can retract the piece & issue an apology... 🧵1/6

Recommended reading on the smoke and mirrors government is using to build out a justification for austerity

Tom Pollard@pollardtom.bsky.social · last yr.

This, from a DWP press release yesterday (gov.uk/government/n...), is outrageous In two short paragraphs it peddles multiple falsehoods about the current system that will be used to justify upcoming cuts & changes Here's what MPs & journalists should be challenging... 🧵

I wrote a thing about what really went down in the Gatwick airport expansion decision. Refusal recommended, but it might go ahead? Economic growth? Techie post, you were warned. www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-r...

What really happened at Gatwick?

Gatwick Airport is getting a second runway. Or wait, is it? Prior to the government's announcement I spent a morning doing a pre-recorded interview for BBC news on the Gatwick Airport expansion.

linkedin.com

All the reasons why the Gatwick airport expansion is a mistake, in under 1 minute - from @alchap.bsky.social on @lbc.co.uk with @shelaghfogarty.bsky.social

Had a great chat with @adamtranter.bsky.social and @lauralaker.bsky.social on the Streets Ahead podcast. All things transport, economics, growth, and yes, sorry, the 'Green Book'! Have a listen here: shows.acast.com/streets-ahea...

Growth, but at what cost? | Streets Ahead

shows.acast.com

Great to hear @alchap.bsky.social (surely one of the busiest ppl in transport at the moment?) on @podstreetsahead.bsky.social talking all things economics & transport. Agree with him that the Green Book doesn’t sit behind decisions like Heathrow - it is all politics. Highly recommend a listen.

Growth, but at what cost? | Streets Ahead

shows.acast.com

statistic of the day: approving the expansion of Heathrow, Luton and Gatwick airports would wipe out ALL the benefits of the government’s 2030 "clean power" target within five years of expanded operation, according to analysis by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) neweconomics.org/2025/01/airp....

Airport expansion would wipe out carbon savings of government’s clean power plan

Claimed growth benefits of expansion don’t stack up and will create major climate damage

neweconomics.org

👀The research Rachel Reeves used to evidence the benefits of Heathrow expansion was commissioned by Heathrow itself. @alchap.bsky.social spoke to the @theguardian.com about why, with our climate goals at stake, this is such a big problem www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I spoke to the Observer about the shoddy economics sitting behind Reeves' Heathrow announcement... and the article only covers the half of it... thread www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Reeves’s Heathrow third runway report was commissioned by London airport

The chancellor is under fire after a study cited as evidence for expanding the terminal to boost the UK’s economic growth was ordered by Heathrow itself

theguardian.com

As the Chancellor reaches for growth there's one place she won't find it - OBR forecasts. OBR multipliers devalue public spending and keep us in a doom-loop of austerity Our new report offers a framework that flexibly embraces the positive potential of public spending

The government needs to explain the economic logic behind its decision on airport expansion - because the growth case for it just doesn't add up. @alchap.bsky.social spoke to the @the-independent.com www.independent.co.uk/news/busines...

So today the Chancellor has said that airport expansion is "good for families wanting to go on cheap holidays". This is her "growth" plan. Making it cheaper to go to (e.g.) a Spanish island. How about making it cheaper to get to Blackpool, Great Yarmouth or Torquay?

"Yes, and" ...more damage from climate hazards ...more regional inequality ...a smaller domestic tourism sector ...a bigger current account deficit ...more costly traded carbon prices ...higher land and energy prices ...more noise and air quality Etc.

It's extraordinary that we are having this public debate about airport expansions with barely a whisper about what it means for domestic tourism. It's no coincidence the UK's overnight tourism sector is in decline, i.e. contributing to our stagnant growth. We keep making it cheaper to go overseas!

NEW: How much wealth is too much?🤔 In partnership with @patrioticmillionaires.org we've published a new report exploring the case for an Extreme Wealth Line. We spoke to politicians, policy makers and millionaires to get their thoughts on the concept - here's some of what we found.

The aviation industry, in defence of the economic benefits of airport expansion, are pointing to the Airports Commission's 2015 work. Fun fact: The Commission's forecasts were catastrophically wrong. Business passenger numbers are way off. So their outputs on GDP growth etc. are total nonsense.

Twist in the Heathrow saga this morning. Insiders are asking the right questions about whether the supposed growth benefit is really worth the catastrophic climate damage afterall...