Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Net zero aviation and shipping

Status: Closed Opened: 20 Jul 2021 Closed: 13 Mar 2025 33 recommendations 37 conclusions 2 reports

Aviation and shipping pose major challenges to reducing emissions. Together they account for 10% of UK greenhouse gas emissions and on current trends, aviation will be the largest emitting sector by 2050. The Government has set ambitious targets to reach net zero emissions by 2050 for the UK’s share of international aviation and shipping. This … Show more

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Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - Net zero and UK shipping HC 509 29 May 2024 33 Responded
Third Report - Net zero and the UK aviation sector HC 404 21 Dec 2023 37 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
33 Recommendation Third Report - Net zero and the UK avia… Rejected

Climate Change Committee urges development of aviation demand management policy and technology options.

The Climate Change Committee has argued that demand-side measures have an important role to play in ensuring that the aviation sector delivers the necessary emissions reductions and that risks in the current approach are mitigated. That Committee has therefore urged the Government to “develop a suite of policy and technology … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government notes the recommendation but rejects directly limiting aviation growth, stating the Jet Zero Strategy focuses on new fuels and technology. They will only consider further measures if the sector is not meeting emissions reductions trajectory.
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Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
18 May 2022 Eamonn Beirne · Department for Transport, Emma Gilthorpe · Jet Zero Council, Holly Greig · Department for Transport, Lee Rowley · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Paul Griffiths · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Robert Courts · Department for Transport, Sophie Lane · Aerospace Technology Institute View ↗
30 Mar 2022 Andy Cornell · Renewable Transport Fuel Association, David Morgan · easyJet, Dr Neville Hargreaves · Velocys, Helena Bennett · Green Alliance, Hemant Mistry · International Air Transport Association, Jonathon Counsell · International Airlines Group, Mr Jonathan Hinkles · Loganair, Paddy Lowe · Zero Petroleum View ↗
26 Jan 2022 Alex Clark · Smith School of Enterprise and Environment, University of Oxford, Dr Tristan Smith · UCL Energy Institute, Guy Platten · International Chamber of Shipping, Katharine Palmer · Lloyd's Register, Michael Parker · Citi, Mike McCartain · Associated British Ports View ↗
1 Dec 2021 Glenn Llewellyn · Airbus, Hannah Tew · Connected Places Catapult, Leo Murray · Possible, Matt Gorman · Heathrow Airport, Tim Johnson · Aviation Environment Federation, Val Miftakhov · ZeroAvia View ↗
27 Oct 2021 Anna Ziou · UK Chamber of Shipping, Chris Young · Rolls-Royce, Dr Andy Jefferson · Sustainable Aviation, Dr Chika Miyoshi · Cranfield University, Sarah Kenny · Maritime UK, Simon Bullock · Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester View ↗

Who gave evidence

33 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alex Clark · Researcher Smith School of Enterprise and Environment, University of Oxford 1
Andy Cornell · Representative Renewable Transport Fuel Association 1
Anna Ziou · Policy Director UK Chamber of Shipping 1
Chris Young · Group Chief Engineer Rolls-Royce 1
David Morgan · Director of Flight Operations easyJet 1
Dr Andy Jefferson · Programme Director Sustainable Aviation 1
Dr Chika Miyoshi · Reader in Environmental Systems for Aerospace Cranfield University 1
Dr Neville Hargreaves · Vice President, Waste to Fuels Velocys 1
Dr Tristan Smith · Reader in Energy and Shipping UCL Energy Institute 1
Eamonn Beirne · Deputy Director: Maritime Environment, Technology… Department for Transport 1
Emma Gilthorpe · CEO Jet Zero Council 1
Glenn Llewellyn · Vice President, Zero Emission Aircraft Airbus 1
Guy Platten · Secretary General International Chamber of Shipping 1
Hannah Tew · Director of Air Mobility Connected Places Catapult 1
Helena Bennett · Head of Climate Policy Green Alliance 1
Hemant Mistry · Director of Energy Transition International Air Transport Association 1
Holly Greig · Deputy Director: Aviation Decarbonisation Division Department for Transport 1
Jonathon Counsell · Group Sustainability Director International Airlines Group 1
Katharine Palmer · Global Head of Sustainability Lloyd's Register 1
Lee Rowley · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Leo Murray · Director of Innovation Possible 1
Matt Gorman · Director of Carbon Strategy Heathrow Airport 1
Michael Parker · Chairman, Global Shipping, Logistics & Offshore Citi 1
Mike McCartain · Group Director of Safety, Marine and Engineering Associated British Ports 1
Mr Jonathan Hinkles · Chief Executive Loganair 1
Paddy Lowe · Founder and CEO Zero Petroleum 1
Paul Griffiths · Head of Aerospace Team Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Robert Courts · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Transport 1
Sarah Kenny · Chair Maritime UK 1
Simon Bullock · Research Associate Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Manchester 1
Sophie Lane · Chief Relationships Officer Aerospace Technology Institute 1
Tim Johnson · Director Aviation Environment Federation 1
Val Miftakhov · Founder & CEO ZeroAvia 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
13 Mar 2025 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the Government's R…
13 Feb 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair of the Committee to the Secretary of State for Transport,…
9 Jun 2022 To cttee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Aviation, …