Architects of Our Own Destruction

The Foster and Partners group of architects is to leave the Architects Declare coalition, set up to coordinate climate change action. (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/dec/02/norman-foster-pulls-out-of-climate-coalition-in-row-over-aviation). Foster appears to have taken umbridge with suggestions that involvement in airport design (one of the Foster and Partners specialisms), is incompatible with meaningful attempts to control climate change. Foster clearly has a romantic view of human mobility, not, perhaps, unrelated to the profitability of his company. He argues that "Only by internationally coordinated action can we confront the issues of global warming and, indeed, future pandemics. Aviation has a vital role to play in this process and will continue to do so. You cannot wind the clock backwards." He goes on to suggest that zero-carbon planes, powered by hydrogen rather than jet fuel, "could be carrying passengers by 2035". Just to unpick his statements somewhat. It is clear that aviation is currently a very substantial generator of 'greenhouse gases' and a problem for global warming. You also actually don't need to increase flights to solve climate change. Also, although aviation may have played a minor role in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, it clearly had a much bigger part in moving the virus around the globe (human mobility is a problem in pandemics). Foster seems unaware that experts regard zero-carbon flight as largely a gimmick, detracting from the urgent requirement to drastically cut the number of flights and emissions by taxing jet fuel and frequent fliers. You may not be able to turn the clock back but you can certainly change direction. The English Industrial Revolution was powered by coal but the 'Clean Air Act' eventually reduced the chimney smoke emissions, when it was realised what damage they were doing. The planet cannot tolerate its current levels of airflights. It certainly doesn't need more. There are lots of things architects could be doing to help ameliorate climate change. Building and extending airports isn't one of them!