Richard Branson on COP21 and Heathrow Airport (and possible conflicts!)

We're in the finishing stages of putting together the booklets and presentations for our student revision events (click here to book your places) and it is difficult to talk about current stories on market failure and government failure without discussing the agreement made in Paris last week at the COP21 summit or the continued stalling of a decision about a third runway at Heathrow airport.

Still, who better to listen to about both topics than Richard Branson and a video of his short interview on Sky News is shown below. What's interesting about Branson's viewpoint is that, whilst he sees the Governments of the world will have a significant impact on setting the agenda, he believes it is down to many other agencies (such as business leaders) to achieve those goals on reducing emissions from 'dirty fuel' sources.

He also discusses that age-old economic problem of trade-off and opportunity cost! he supports the need for a new third runway at Heathrow airport and is frustrated at the lack of decision making currently taking place. He does, however, concede that the issue of pollution caused by a new runway would contradict his desire for a greener planet but suggests that there has be some trade-off.