Limit the Impact of Aviation Now! 
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
A system to allow residents to measure plane noise & track flight paths
Our last webinar was on 17th July.
EANS is a pure form of citizen science is developed by Frankfurt residents, and is now used by communities at over 50 airports worldwide.
The recording of this webinar
The presentation slides
The chat during the webinar
See also our page https://www.uecna.eu/actions/eans-european-noise-measurement-system/
People from all over the world join our webinars.
To join webinars: new subscribers will receive a Zoom link for future webinars shortly before the next one.
We have already covered a wide variety of topics in our webinars.
An overview with links to the recordings and presentations can be found here.
Talking About Noise
The Dutch government tries again and again to put people to sleep that it is not too bad with that aircraft noise and that if you do experience nuisance, it will soon be a lot less. Firstly, it is not easy at all and secondly, the nuisance will not diminish quickly. Minister Harbers wants the airport to be able to grow indefinitely from 2027 thanks to the quieter aircraft.
Prof. Dr. Fulco van der Veen on noise violence.
.
On International Noise Awareness Day, this year on April 26th, and during the two weeks following it, local communities have staged activities to call for a limit, a cap, on flight numbers and airports. It was an initiative of UECNA.
Here are the reasons we were doing it:
- Aviation has yet to reduce its impact on communities living near airports (and on the climate). Noise and air pollution significantly harm people’s health and there are few signs of meaningful reductions.
- There are signs the aviation industry will reduce its climate impact on the planet by 2050 through the introduction of new technology and sustainable fuels but this is not the case with local pollutants. There cannot be unlimited growth while these problems remain. Growth must be limited. At least until a solution is found for all forms of pollution. We, citizens, cannot suffer more noise and more toxic air
- Caps must be put at all airports to limit aircraft movements, to limit air pollution, to limit noise pollution, to limit climate impact.
One of our videos:
The Dutch administration aimed to reduce the number of flights from 500 to 440 thousand due to too much aircraft noise. And Schiphol’s new interim CEO came up with the decision to abolish night flights (between 0.00 and 5.00 hours), cancel the option for a new runway and ban private aircraft.
How will this work out?
Missed Targets of the Aviation Industry
Two decades of missed and abandoned aviation industry sustainability targets: they appear to function principally as a tactic for giving an impression of progress and action to address aviation’s environmental impacts to the public and policymakers, in order to prevent any policy barriers to ongoing growth in the industry. A short video (with subtitles) and the report from Possible.
Poll
Results so far (13/9):
1 Noise nuisances : 22% | 2 Health effect : 16% | 3 Reduce the number of flights : 13% | 4 Ban on night flights : 12% | 5 Emissions : 10% | 6 Taxes : 7% | 7/8 International cooperation / Influence the EU : 4% | 9/10 Getting stronger as an organization / Ban on short-haul flights : 3%
A Voice against Noise and for Health:
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.
Why donate?
Aviation and the Power of ICAO
The Netherlands wants to reduce the number of flights to and from Schiphol Airport because of the noise nuisance for local residents. But is that possible? In this video we wonder whether this will work based on noise arguments, while keeping an eye on goat paths for when the main road is blocked.
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).
Newsletter
Successes & Strategies
Last Added Articles
Who We Are:
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.
