Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion protesters sat around private jets to stop them leaving and others cycled around the planes. Dewi Zloch of Greenpeace Netherlands said activists want “fewer flights, more trains and a ban on unnecessary short-haul flights and private jets”. Military police said they arrested a number of protesters for being on airport grounds without permission. Responding on Friday to an open letter from Greenpeace, Schiphol’s new chief executive Ruud Sondag said the airport aims for “zero-emission airports by 2030 and clean climate-neutral aviation by 2050. And we have a duty to lead on this”, but he admitted it should have been done faster. More than 120 world leaders will attend this year’s UN climate talks in the Red Sea coastal resort of Sharm el-Sheikh from Sunday. Hot-button issues to be discussed at the November 6-18 talks, including further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and increased financial aid for poor countries struggling with the effects of climate change.
