A number of initiatives to tackle emissions in aviation have been
advanced from sustainable aviation fuels to zero carbon aircraft,
new technologies and the consideration of demand management.
The Committee welcomes
the ambition in several of these areas, but is concerned that the
Government’s Jet Zero Strategy carries significant risks to
delivery to stem the rising emissions from the aviation sector.
Emissions from the aviation sector are considered to be one of
the hardest to abate, and the Climate Change Committee has warned
that unless abated, the sector is likely to be the largest
emitting sector in the UK by 2050.
Despite their enormous impact on UK emissions, the Government is
yet to include aviation emissions within Carbon Budgets, despite
ministers’ assurance two and a half years ago to do so.
Legislating for this – within the Climate Change Act 2008 – must
therefore be done without any further delay and be in place for
the forthcoming sixth Carbon Budget. This certainty would prevent
budgetary headroom and would oblige the Government to address the
complexities around accounting for the UK's share of
international aviation emissions.
While there have been significant efforts to decarbonise the
sector by attempting to remove carbon dioxide from aviation
activity, additional environmental impacts are currently being
ignored. For example, uncertainty remains over the impact of soot
emissions and aviation sulphur compound emissions. Active
research is needed on all environmental effects of aviation.
Currently less than 1% of UK demand is met by sustainable
aviation fuels (SAFs), and the Government aims that SAF provides
10% of aviation fuel for flights within and departing the UK by
2030. However, there is currently a wide variability in lifecycle
emissions across the general class of fuels which the industry
currently terms ‘sustainable aviation fuels’, and as a result,
may lead to the development of aviation fuels which cannot be
described as sustainable. A globally recognised definition is
needed, and the Government must work with UK industry to ensure
strong safeguards are in place to ensure SAFs developed in the UK
are truly sustainable.
The Government is not considering active demand management to
have any role in reducing aviation emissions. The Committee calls
on the Government to review progress against its Jet Zero
Strategy by the end of 2025, and if current policies are not
cutting emissions swiftly enough, that Ministers reconsider the
role of demand management.
In 2019, 3.7% of the UK’s aviation emissions came from UK
domestic flights, and the Committee notes there is enormous
potential for zero emission short-haul UK journeys. Evidence was
heard on the potential of both hydrogen-electric and
battery-electric, with the options being deployable without
significant infrastructure development. However, green hydrogen
powered aircraft are likely to require infrastructure upgrades to
supply the aircraft. The Committee calls on the Government to
roll out zero emission aircraft on a number of routes within the
UK by 2040, with a view to full roll out for all UK flights if
successful.
Environmental Audit Committee member, , said:
“Aviation’s path to decarbonisation is substantially slower than
that of many other sectors of the economy, and will require a
number of different initiatives to make a tangible impact.
“First, the correct legislation needs to be in place. Despite
promises over the years, the Government is yet to include
aviation emissions in its Carbon Budgets which monitor progress
in the UK’s emissions reduction policies. Second, we must support
industry in developing new technologies and fuels, and provide
the right certainty and definitions for what can be coined a
‘sustainable aviation fuel’. These new technologies must not only
reduce CO2 emissions, but take into account and mitigate other
environmental impacts associated with aviation. And finally, we
must champion the UK innovation on zero carbon aircraft here at
home for UK flights.
“The Committee’s report today sets out clearly what the
Government must be prioritising, and I look forward to receiving
its response.”
Notes to editors:
- A full list of conclusions and recommendations can be found
on page 50 of the report.
