How will the UK's airport expansion plans contribute towards
growing the UK economy, and do the mooted benefits of expansion
outweigh the potential risks for the Government's goals for the
environment and a Net Zero economy?
MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee will consider these
questions as it hears from economists, academics and aviation
industry representatives on Wednesday, 18th
June.
The government's ‘Jet Zero' strategy sets out a decarbonisation
pathway for the aviation industry. However, concerns have been
raised that it is already off course, with some fearing it is
underpinned by unrealistic assumptions. The predecessor Committee
discussed these concerns in its 2024 report on net zero and the UK aviation
sector.
In the first panel, MPs will hear from economists and academics
as they seek to understand if the proposed economic benefits of
expansion can be achieved without environmental costs, and
whether the analysis underpinning expansion plans is
robust.
The Committee will also hear from industry voices, including
Heathrow's Director of Carbon Strategy. MPs are likely to
question witnesses on how they are using existing airport
capacity, the work they are doing to help achieve the UK's
climate targets and how expansion will impact demand for
flights.
Witnesses
From 14.30:
· Dr Alex Chapman, Senior
Economist, New Economics Foundation
· Dr Stuart Jenkins, Research
Fellow, University of Oxford
· Andrew Meaney, Partner and
Head of Transport, Oxera
From 15.30:
· Matthew Gorman MBE,
Director of Carbon Strategy, Heathrow
· , Chief Executive,
Sustainable Aviation
· Neil Robinson, Chief
Sustainability Officer, Manchester Airports Group
