Committee on Climate Change

Transport  Secretary Geoff Hoon has asked the CCC to conduct an independent review into aviation emissions, following on from his announcement supporting the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The building of an additional runway at Heathrow has attracted controversy from green groups and others concerned that it will contribute to rising greenhouse gas emissions. The CCC will investigate whether UK aviation emissions can be limited to below 2005 levels by 2050 if airport expansions continue.

Lord Turner said: “In order to avoid dangerous climate change, it is vital that emissions of greenhouse gases in the UK are reduced by at least 80% in 2050. International aviation must be part of the Government’s climate change strategy and commitments should be made to reduce aviation emissions”. The review will also look at future demand for flying, the potential of improving other transport modes e.g. high speed rail as an alternative to flying, and whether the carbon efficiency of the UK’s fleet of planes can be improved using technological innovations.

The committee will assess how far biofuels or hydrogen fuel could be used in the future in planes as an alternative to fossil fuels. The aviation review will be published by December 2009.