They include the possibility of three extra runways at Stansted, one more at Heathrow airport near London. A new airport could also be built near the River Thames at Cliffe in north Kent. A new runway at Gatwick is another idea that is on the table but any changes there are likely to be delayed until 2019 when a non-expansion agreement runs out.
The government's consultation document also proposes converting defunct RAF bases into civilian airports.
Read the Government's consultation paper
Overall, the Government's airport expansion plans will cost the taxpayer billions in hidden subsidies, tax breaks and the costs of health and environmental clean-up. Unless action is taken to make airlines pay the full costs of their activities, UK passenger numbers are projected to reach 400m a year by 2020 - requiring the equivalent of another four airports the size of Heathrow. Air travel already costs the government £1.8bn in lost VAT on flight tickets, aircraft and aviation fuel and contributes £2bn each year to the costs of dealing with climate change. These figures are likely to double by 2020.
Building new runways across London and the South East will do nothing to narrow the growing gap between supply and demand for air travel, which is kept artificially high through massive public subsidies. In the UK we currently prop up the aviation industry by some £6.8 billion a year despite its huge negative impact on health and the environment.
The government itself admits the introduction of a 100% aviation fuel tax would reduce demand by 10%. Taxing aviation fuel at even half the rate currently levied on motor fuel could expect to reduce demand by about 14% - that's more than 50m passengers a year by 2020, according to current projections.
By attempting to meet demand without removing these distortions the government is setting us on an unsustainable path, leading to a situation where the costs of declining health, environmental degradation and climate change are increasingly borne by the taxpayer.
Jean Lambert and her Green colleague Caroline Lucas MEP (South East region) are doing whatever they can to stop the expansion.
At a European level, they are writing to Commission for clarification on whether the EU would contribute any funding for the expansion and, if so, how can this be justified.
As a member of European Parliament's Transport Committee, Caroline is also rapporteur on aviation and environment. In this capacity she will be asking how compatible the expansion would be for the Birds and Habitat protection Directive, and what the implications are for public health.
Nationally, they are both responding to the Department for Transport's consultation on the future development of Air Transport in the South East of England condemning any expansion to the current flight scheduling.
Caroline also hosted a conference on aviation jointly with Darren Johnson (Leader of the Green Group in the London Assembly)
Read London Green response to the Aviation consultation
Read Green MEPs press release 30th June 2003
Read Green MEPs press release 24th July 2002
Read Green MEPs press release 16th July 2002
For more information email Jean Lambert's constituency office
Useful links