Dept for transport UK: Climate change target for civil aviation

Date delivered: 08 December 2009

Event:Committee on climate change report launch

Location: London

“In January this year the Government announced a challenging new climate change target for civil aviation. The target requires gross carbon emissions from the industry to be below 2005 levels by 2050, which gives the UK the toughest climate change regime for aviation of any country in the world.

The Government also asked the Committee on Climate Change to assess the target and to give us their view on what needs to be done to ensure we meet it.

The Government welcomes the Committee’s advice. I accept the committee’s view that a 60% increase in passenger numbers and 54% increase in flight numbers is compatible with the 2050 target. I also note the committee’s view that this figure should only be exceeded if the aviation industry itself succeeds in cutting emissions by more than the amount currently projected by the Committee.

In respect of airport expansion, I note the committee’s conclusions that there are no clear implications of their analysis for specific airports. The committee’s advice is consistent with the development of a third runway at Heathrow, which is Britain’s only hub airport and is already running at full capacity. A third runway, even when fully utilised, would only account for about 10% more UK flights than we have now, well within the 54% cap suggested by the committee.

I particularly welcome the Committee’s view that high-speed rail can substitute for domestic and short-haul flights of less than 500 miles. This accords with recent experience across Europe – most recently on the busy Madrid – Barcelona route, where the opening of high-speed rail lines with journey times of under three hours has led to a dramatic shift of traffic from the plane to the train.

The Government welcomes the Committee’s finding that significant fuel efficiency and operational improvements are likely in the period to 2050, and that increased investment by the industry in aircraft technology research and development might make more rapid progress likely.

We also acknowledge the Committee’s finding that the use of biofuels in aviation is likely to be technically and economically viable. We also agree that there are significant uncertainties over the level of sustainable biofuels available for use in aviation and are currently undertaking a comprehensive programme of research to address these uncertainties.

We are committed to publishing a National Policy Statement on Airports in 2011. It will take account of this advice from the Committee on Climate Change, and future capacity growth supported by the National Policy Statement will be consistent with our climate change goals.

(c) Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Date posted: 09-Dec-09