This advice responds to a request from the UK Government Department for Transport.
The request asks for the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) view on proposed amendments to the Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement and the wider role of the aviation sector in meeting the UK’s carbon budgets in the context of Heathrow expansion.
Key messages
- Government cannot expand Heathrow Airport without requiring the aviation industry to clean up its emissions. They should legislate policies that require the industry to fully address emissions by 2050, either directly or by purchasing engineered removals. This is the only way that the proposed Heathrow expansion could be considered consistent with the UK’s carbon budgets and Net Zero.
- Aviation is falling behind the rest of the economy on decarbonisation. Emissions from aviation have more than doubled since 1990, while those across the economy as a whole have halved. Even without Heathrow expansion, under current policy emissions would not fall at all by 2050.
- Heathrow expansion would make it harder to meet the UK’s climate targets. Heathrow is currently responsible for around half of aviation emissions. The full impact of expansion would account for 6.9% of remaining carbon emissions in 2050.
Acknowledgements
The Committee would like to thank:
The team that prepared this report and its analysis. This was led by Emma Pinchbeck, James Richardson, Eoin Devane, Sophie Vipond, Owen Bellamy, Rose Armitage, and Grace Macready; and included Sandra Bogelein, Marta Calore, Rachel Carr-Whitworth, Joshua Deru, Stephen Dillon, Kieron Driscoll, Ariana Jessa, Steffi Johns, Sam Karslake, Miriam Kennedy, Adam Khan, Margot MacMahon, Harley McCourt, Moryse McInniss, Aaron McMahon, Bea Natzler, Sarah Nelson, Emily Nurse, Maria Reboredo Prado, Andrew Romang, Miranda Schroder, Rachel Sewell, Bryony Sheridan, Jamie Tarlton, Felicity Taylor, Seán Taylor, Scarlett Walker, Eveline White, Hannah Williams, Kirsty Wivell, Louis Worthington, and Fergal Wraith.
Our previous Committee member, Professor Corrine Le Quéré FRS.
Our previous expert advisor on the role of households and the public in the Net Zero transition, Professor Rebecca Willis.
Organisations and individuals who participated in workshops, engaged with us, submitted evidence, or met with the Committee bilaterally.
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