Zihinlerde Oluşturmaya Çalıştığımız Bir Parça İyilik, Güzellik ve Nitelik Çabası…

Since arriving in London, I’ve been noticing certain features that differ from those I’ve observed in other cities. I jot them down day by day in my London Diaries. In this piece, I wanted to address one of them. In fact, these details, which at first glance seem every day, simple, and ordinary, point—upon closer inspection—to deeper and more structural problems in modern urban life.

I’m residing in what could be considered a relatively quiet neighborhood of the city (NW2). Despite this, I can say that I’m exposed to significant air traffic noise. I hear airplane sounds almost as frequently as cars passing by on the street, and it’s become a routine clamor. The nearest airport is about 25 kilometers away. Helicopters occasionally join the airplanes in this symphony. Some of these helicopters might be air ambulances or security vehicles used by the police. What I need to emphasize is that helicopter noise has a far more jarring impact compared to that of airplanes. If I had even a 24-hour window, I’d love to measure just how many airplane or helicopter sounds I endure in a day. So far, I haven’t had the opportunity.

Noise in London isn’t confined to the skies alone. This is a major metropolis and one of the world’s key hubs. Naturally, the roads are bustling. I don’t have statistics at hand, but we can say that road traffic noise (and, consequently, emissions) is better managed here than in Istanbul. This is likely due to the widespread use of electric vehicles and bicycles. But in London, famed for its railways, if you’re near the “overground” lines, the time of day or night makes no difference—you’re subjected to noise with every passing train. Ambulance and police sirens deserve a category of their own. Of course, in emergencies, the sound needs to be attention-grabbing, but I suspect that in the United Kingdom, the decibel levels of these sirens are higher than those in Türkiye. They produce an incredibly grating noise. The balance between functionality and public tranquility seems, in some ways, to have tipped a bit too far here.

That said, let’s return to the main issue: air traffic noise…

On this topic, I did a quick literature review, and it turns out that this matter, which I’ve only recently become aware of, has been the subject of research for years. Noise pollution, particularly aviation-related noise, has long been studied in connection with numerous variables. London is one of the central cities in these investigations. Studies reveal that London is among the cities most exposed to aviation’s environmental impacts on both noise and emissions on a global scale.

It’s not hard to guess the reason. London’s transportation infrastructure is extraordinarily advanced, and the city is surrounded by six major airports. This convenience comes at a cost, manifesting as noise and carbon pollution in the skies. The resulting pollution, in turn, gives rise to environmental and societal problems.

According to The Guardian article dated February 27, 2024, the emissions burden from London’s six airports equates to that of approximately 3.23 million cars. This figure surpasses even megacities like Tokyo and Dubai. Europe’s largest airport, Heathrow, handled about 84 million passengers in 2024 and emitted 19.1 million tons of carbon, ranking it as the world’s second-worst airport in this regard. Moreover, Heathrow is quite close to central London compared to other major airports (25 km from where I’m staying). It’s probably the primary source of the aerial noise I feel in my daily life.

The findings from these studies indicate that the issue goes beyond mere annoyance from intrusive sounds. A wealth of research links such noise exposure to cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, sleep disorders, stress, and psychosocial issues. Noise acts not as a sudden threat but as a chronic stressor that operates subtly, exerting long-term effects on the body. We can surmise that children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses bear a heavier burden from this.

Experts in the field are working on quieter, cleaner aircraft—even ones powered by solar energy. We can hold out hope for that.

But let’s start here: Airlines generate far greater volumes of pollution than vehicles on the roads. Air travel is a luxury mode of transportation. In the fight against climate change, it wouldn’t be fair to shift the burden of reducing carbon emissions onto low-income countries or societal groups least responsible for this crisis. Making vulnerable populations pay the price for global mobility, tourism, and business travel is incompatible with environmental justice.

A world order where we live at the pinnacle of comfort while passing the bill for environmental catastrophes onto others is not sustainable. Not on an international level, nor at the national one…

We set out to gaze at London from above, and look where it led us! No matter from which angle we look, everywhere humans touch becomes polluted. But without humans? But it’s impossible to function without people…