T&E slams UK aviation net zero pathway for including SAF

In the UK, Transport & Environment welcomes the UK government’s initiative to bring aviation on a path to net zero emissions but says that the strategy fails to deliver on true solutions to transition the industry. 

The Government’s plan relies on six measures to decarbonize the sector, including Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) uptake. There is an ambitious 10% mandate for SAFs, but not all SAFs are created equal and it’s essential to deploy the most sustainable ones. The government will shortly consult on SAFs, but investments in green fuels should start as soon as possible. 

Zero-emission aircraft play an important role in the strategy, and the commitment to domestic routes flown by these planes in 2030 is world-leading. However, the strategy still leaves UK aviation emitting half of the greenhouse gases it currently does in 2050 (approximately 19 million metric tons CO2e), which is simply not good enough in a climate emergency. Furthermore, the strategy is weak on how the UK should tackle the crucial non-CO2 climate impacts caused by UK aviation.