Nine protestors from the anti-aviation group ‘Plane Stupid’ have left the Kingsnorth Climate Camp to mount a protest against short-haul flights from the nearby Gatwick Airport. The nine climate activists had been planning to protest against the government’s plans to expand Kingsnorth coal fire power station. However continual police intimidation and violence forced them to leave the camp, choosing instead to protest against the popularity of short-haul flights, especially during the Edinburgh Festival, from Gatwick airport.

The nine activists arrived at the airport at 7.50am. They then split into three groups. The first group scaled the wall next to the escalator above the train station, occupying the roof structure and dropping a banner: ‘Short-haul flight? Let the train take the strain'. The second group mounted the mezzanine above the arrivals lounge, handcuffed themselves to a railing and dropped a banner: ‘Stop short-haul’. The third group, dressed as information points, with t-shirts asking, ‘Can I hinder?', leafleted the surprised crowd with information about the ecological cost of aviation and the irresponsibility of those who fly short-haul.

Lotti Rutter, one of those handcuffed to the railing, said:

"It’s terrifying – we’re approaching a climate catastrophe yet the Department for Transport do absolutely nothing to provide us with a low carbon transport policy – there are a total of 139 flights from London to Edinburgh as opposed to just 22 trains. We’re here today to protest against short-haul flights. We’re well aware that a lot of people will be choosing to go to the Edinburgh Festival and we’re here to ask them to make the right decision – to take the train. In a time of climate crisis anything else is more than irresponsible: it’s Plane Stupid."

Gatwick flies 26 times daily to Edinburgh. The same route is covered by a four hour train ride from London King’s Cross. However there are only 22 trains per day. The route from London to Edinburgh (by air) is also covered by Heathrow (66 flights), Stansted (31 flights), Luton (12 flights) and London City Airport (4 flights).

The activists are presently at Gatwick continuing their protest, after which those not arrested will return to the Climate Camp to continue their environmental action.

Taken a short-haul flight recently? What about a long-haul trip? If you have, you'll have paid Air Passenger Duty, which recently rose a little bit (roughly to where it was in the 2000 Budget, before then-Chancellor Gordon Brown decided to cut it to encourage more people to fly). According to the Daily Telegraph, the Government has "admitted" that the cost of APD paid by passengers outweighs the cost of the emitted carbon by £100 million.

This is the culmination of monetisation, a dangerous trend that sits at the heart of the emissions trading scheme, the Kyoto Protocol and pretty much every market-driven solution to rising CO2 emissions. Monetisation is the principle that things without economic value - such as an eco-system, ancient woodland or a Norman church - can be given a value. From that it follows that if business and Government damages or destroys this invaluable thing, they can merely pay its value for doing so - always less than the profit made from the damage or destruction.

As anyone who has ever had a road or runway built through their community, seen a beauty spot ruined by the roar of jet aircraft overhead or watched rising sea levels wipe out their home knows, there are some things you cannot put a price on. How can you put a value on the right to breathe clean air, to eat unpolluted food, to live without fear of global climate breakdown? Some things simply cannot be bought and sold, and we must recognise that those who would put a price on life do so to make it easier for them to take it from us.