Airpower air show damaging the environment, says Green Party

The 2013 Airpower air show due to take place later this month in Aichfeld (Styria, Murtal district) has come in for criticism from environmentalists.

According to the Green Party, up to 300,000 litres of kerosene will be used during the event, polluting the atmosphere.

Green Party spokesman Erwin Webersink said: “At the very least, 150,000 to 300,000 litres of kerosene will be burnt during that weekend, and around half a million kilograms of carbon dioxide emitted.”

He added that the damage caused by the several months of training before the event should also be taken into account saying that the Eurofighter alone would use 3,500 litres of kerosene every hour.

In total, 200 aircrafts and helicopters are registered for the show. The event is said to cost 3.4 million Euros, half of which is paid for by the region, Styria, and Red Bull.

The defence ministry paid for a quarter of the costs and the rest is made up with proceeds from merchandising.