Let’s Cap Aviation! 
Nice that you found us
We help people who experience nuisances from aviation and worry about the impact of noise and emissions on their health
- We definitively understand your problems
- We can give support because we have experts that want to share expertise
- We put experts and activists from different airports and regions in contact to exchange experience and best practices
- We organize technical courses on aircraft noise and emissions related issues
- We support in legal and political battles, we have lawyers, economists, media experts and spin-doctors
- We represent citizens in international gremials (like the Industry does)
- We coordinate EU-wide and global actions and protests
We act in a lot of areas
Night flights | Dealing with aircraft noise | Noise and the WHO guidelines | Noise measurement | Noise Metrics | Airport growth | NOx and other emissions | Ultra fine particles | Challenge powerful organisations | Citizens Protest Groups | Noise and health risks | Find the way at European level | Identify best practices from all over the world | Economic costs of aviation | State Aid to Airports and Airlines | Hydrogen and synthetic fuels
Next webinar: Impact of Aviation Noise on Children’s Learning
UECNA WEBINAR No. 19
Januari 27, 18:00 CET
Speaker: Charlotte Clarke,
Professor of Environmental Epidemiology at St George’s, University of London.
She leads, inter alia, a study funded by Heathrow Airport, managed by the National Institute for Health Research, examining the effect of a school noise insulation programme on children’s health and learning.
After her presentation there will be plenty of time for questions and discussion.
Subscribe to our webinars
UECNA has put on a series of popular and informative webinars, covering a wide variety of topics.An overview with links to the recordings and presentations can be found here.
The week of John Stewart: Millions exposed to aircraft noise across Europe
Millions of people across Europe are exposed to unhealthy levels of aircraft noise. The latest report from the European Environment Agency found 2.3 million people were exposed in 2022 (14.3 million if you use the lower levels of exposure recommended by the World Health Organisation in its 2018 Guidelines). This figure is lower than pre-Covid when the Environment Agency put it at around 3 million. But with the number of planes returning to their pre-Covid levels that number is expected to be reached again shortly.
The figures of course exclude the UK (because of Brexit). That means they exclude Heathrow whose planes fly over more people than any other airport in Europe. The EU has previously estimated that around 700,000 people are exposed to unhealthy levels of noise from Heathrow (the World Health Organisation would put it higher).
Urgent action is required to cut the numbers exposed to unhealthy levels of aircraft noise.
There are a number of things that can be done.
- Reduce the number of planes using the airport (as Schiphol is trying to do)
- Reduce the noise of the aircraft (planes are a lot less noisy than they were 50 years ago but no further step-change is on the horizon)
- Alternate the flight paths. This will mean more people overall hear the noise but fewer are exposed to unhealthy levels.
- Use quieter operating procedures. Some airports are a lot better at this than others. There is no reason why they should not all improve.
- Provide generous compensation and mitigation for those affected.
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The EU, as part of its zero pollution action plan, aims to reduce the number of people chronically disturbed by noise from transport by 30% by 2030 (compared with 2017). That is welcome, but should be seen as just the start of the process to cut noise.
John Stewart, Chair UECNA
Poll
Results so far (1/12/24):
1 Noise nuisances : 21% | 2 Health effect : 17% | 3 Reduce the number of flights : 12% | 4 Ban on night flights : 11% | 5 Emissions : 9% | 6 Taxes on kerosene and tickets : 7% | 7/8 International cooperation / Influence the EU : 4% | 9/10 Getting stronger as an organization / Ban on short-haul flights : 3%
The Importance of Working at a European Level
Air transport and airport-related activities are responsible for noise pollution and emission of toxic pollutants. The noise – especially at night – and the pollutants have both proven to have serious adverse effects on human health. In particular causing high blood pressure leading to cardiovascular diseases and death.
Our health is precious and needs respect and protection.
All stakeholders, ie. operators of airports, air carriers and aircraft builders, but also aviation administrations and politicians, must take into consideration the populations who suffer from the impact of air traffic. Today, the aviation lobby is so powerful that is it very difficult for the population living under flight paths to be heard.
We want to provide a voice for residents living in the vicinity of airports across Europe
Because airports are in competition with one another, any restrictions applicable to one airport will be considered a disadvantage when compared to other airports. Therefore, restrictions will only be accepted if they are applied to all airports. We want to work with the European commission and the European Parliamentarians to ensure that residents living under flight paths have a voice.
The future of all of our airports must be decided at European level.
Manifesto
The ever increasing air traffic causes serious noise and air pollutions which have adverse health impacts on the populations overflown by aircraft at low altitude The number of people affected by these pollutions is also increasing despite the European legislation and improvement in technologies.
Communities near airports are also deeply concerned about the rise in CO2 and non-CO2 emissions from aviation, which are a threat to the climate.
If the growth of aviation is not severely constrained, air traffic will largely negate the effects of national efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. Residents’ organizations all over Europe believe that the growth of aviation must be limited.
UECNA summons the EU:
- Noise: to ensure a substantial reduction in noise nuisances caused by aviation, starting with a reduction of night flights with a view to a total ban on night flights to allow an 8-hour night;
- Air pollution: to reduce emissions from aviation (including UFP) to protect the health of people living under flights paths and near airports, and to prevent further environmental degradation;
- Climate: to force airlines, like all companies, to reduce their CO2 emissions in the context of the Paris Agreement;
- Sustainable travel: to levy taxes on air tickets and jet fuel and to enhance comfortable train connections at competitive prices, so that many short European flights can be cancelled.
Why donate?
UECNA with the U of Unique:
The voice for airport community groups in Europe
UECNA is the only Europe-wide organisation which represents airport communities at the European Parliament, the European Commission and at the International Civil Aviation Organisation. It also supports organisations and citizens with expert advice and by exchanging information, experience and best practices.
Our Mission
To represent, inform and protect citizens affected by the adverse impacts of air traffic at European airports.
Our Aims
- To reduce the annoyance and impact on the health and on the quality of life of citizens affected by aircraft noise and air pollution
- To ensure that noise and air pollution from aircraft are duly taken into account when measures to reduce the environmental impacts of aviation are considered
- To reflect the concerns, anxieties and anger of citizens impacted by aircraft noise and air pollution
- To strengthen the network of community groups to share expertise, experience and best practices.
UECNA is run by representatives from grassroots organisations from across Europe.
If you join, you get the chance to:
- Tell the rest of Europe about your airport and benefit from others’ experience
- Join Europe-wide campaigns
- Influence the European Union and international aviation organisations
- Receive regular information on new developments
- Be part of a growing movement to tackle the local impacts of aviation
- Meet fellow campaigners from across Europe
- Influence UECNA’s strategy
UECNA is represented on:
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Authority) | European Commission’s Noise Experts Group | EASA (European Union Safety Agency) | EAEG (European Aviation Environmental Group) | T & E (Transport & Environment)
The more members we have, the more resources and the more influence we will have. Our voice will be stronger. So join us!
Coffee?
Taking action can help
On our Actions page you’ll find a lot of examples
And there is room enough for new ideas.
Various actors that can stimulate the reduction of nuisances: residents (R), organisations of residents (O), scientists (S), political parties (P), municipalities (M), governments (G), European members of parliament (E), celebrities (C) and UECNA (U).
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