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Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Airport expansion and climate and nature targets

Status: Open Opened: 28 Mar 2025 17 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on airport expansion and climate and nature targets. In this inquiry the Committee is seeking to: establish the climate and environmental targets which Ministers ought to ensure are met under its policy to support airport expansion; examine current projections for aviation demand, for aviation emissions and for … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
5th Report - Airport expansion and climate and nature targe… HC 831 24 Oct 2025 29 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
8 Conclusion 5th Report - Airport expansion and clim… Acknowledged

Airport expansion hinders air quality targets; ANPS fails to account for pollution impact.

Whilst air pollution around Heathrow has reduced in recent years due to cleaner aircraft and road vehicles, airport expansion will make it harder for Governments, both national and local, to deliver on air quality targets. The Airports National Policy Statement fails to sufficiently account for the impact airport expansion will … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government stated that as part of the ANPS review, DfT is considering how air quality tests for Heathrow expansion should be set, reviewing changes in legislation/policy/data, and determining mitigations for air quality impacts, with consultation in summer 2026.
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13 Conclusion 5th Report - Airport expansion and clim… Acknowledged

Airspace modernisation likely to expand flight paths and increase noise impact

We understand the need for the Government to modernise the airspace around the UK, particularly if this will minimise the queuing of planes at airports and reduce the time planes spend circling before they can land. However, this work is likely to expand the area covered by flight paths and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government details its ANPS review for Heathrow expansion, stating that its four tests, including climate, air quality, and noise, will be considered. It commits to consultations on any ANPS amendments and associated environmental assessments by summer 2026, and to engaging the Climate Change Committee …
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21 Conclusion 5th Report - Airport expansion and clim… Acknowledged

Government's Jet Zero Strategy insufficient to deliver Net Zero aviation objectives.

The Government’s Jet Zero Strategy remains reliant on demand management measures that are as yet insufficient to deliver Net Zero objectives, especially if there is an increase in demand. The strategy relies on a far higher cost to industry to abate carbon emissions than are currently seen. It also requires … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's concerns about the Jet Zero Strategy, clarifying that carbon prices and emission savings were illustrative, and reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the UK ETS and developing Sustainable Aviation Fuels as key parts of its existing strategy.
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22 Recommendation 5th Report - Airport expansion and clim… Acknowledged

Update Jet Zero Strategy analysis to reflect technological developments and current policy changes.

The government’s Jet Zero strategy is now a few years old and was commissioned under the previous government. Government should consider updating the analysis of the baseline and the pathways to net zero aviation. It should ensure that the plans have kept pace with technological developments in the time since … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government reiterated its commitment to carbon pricing and strengthening the UK ETS and CORSIA, clarifying that the Jet Zero Strategy's carbon prices and emission savings were illustrative, not targets. It mentioned a recent monitoring and evaluation report to inform progress, but did not commit …
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27 Conclusion 5th Report - Airport expansion and clim… Acknowledged

Airport expansion risks climate targets and lacks demonstrated economic benefits outweighing environmental harm.

Whilst it may be possible for the Government to deliver airport expansion alongside its climate and environment targets, we are concerned that the proposed environmental impact from airport expansion will make such targets significantly more difficult to achieve and at much greater effort and cost. Furthermore, the Government has not … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government reaffirmed its commitment to net zero, stating that airport expansion is factored into carbon planning and that the ANPS review will consider climate, air quality, and noise, alongside reviewing and updating various environmental assessments. It also committed to engaging the Climate Change Committee …
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Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
16 Jul 2025 David Silk · Department for Transport, Dr Pauleen Lane CBE · Planning Inspectorate, Hannah Newell · Department for Transport, Ian Thynne · Hillingdon Council, Mike Kane MP · Department for Transport, Peta Donkin · National Infrastructure Planning Association, Sonia Krylova · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero View ↗
18 Jun 2025 Andrew Meaney · Oxera, Dr Alex Chapman · New Economics Foundation, Dr Stuart Jenkins · University of Oxford, Duncan McCourt · Sustainable Aviation, Matthew Gorman MBE · Heathrow, Neil Robinson · Manchester Airports Group View ↗
14 May 2025 Alethea Warrington · Possible, Celeste Hicks · Aviation Environment Federation, Dr Lisa Lavia · Noise Abatement Society, Johann Beckford · Green Alliance, Paul Beckford · No 3rd Runway Coalition, Professor Rob Miller · Whittle Laboratory, University of Cambridge View ↗

Who gave evidence

19 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alethea Warrington · Head of Aviation, Energy and Heat Possible 1
Andrew Meaney · Partner and Head of Transport Oxera 1
Celeste Hicks · Policy Manager Aviation Environment Federation 1
David Silk · Director for Aviation Department for Transport 1
Dr Alex Chapman · Senior Economist New Economics Foundation 1
Dr Lisa Lavia · Managing Director Noise Abatement Society 1
Dr Pauleen Lane CBE · Professional Lead for Infrastructure Planning Inspectorate 1
Dr Stuart Jenkins · Research fellow University of Oxford 1
Duncan McCourt · Chief Executive Sustainable Aviation 1
Hannah Newell · Director for Heathrow Expansion Department for Transport 1
Ian Thynne · Head of Environmental Planning Specialists Hillingdon Council 1
Johann Beckford · Senior Policy Advisor Green Alliance 1
Matthew Gorman MBE · Director of Carbon Strategy Heathrow 1
Mike Kane MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Transport 1
Neil Robinson · Chief Sustainability Officer Manchester Airports Group 1
Paul Beckford · Policy Director No 3rd Runway Coalition 1
Peta Donkin · Board Member and Policy and Practice Lead National Infrastructure Planning Association 1
Professor Rob Miller · Director Whittle Laboratory, University of Cambridge 1
Sonia Krylova · Deputy Director, Carbon Budget Delivery and Frame… Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
1 Jul 2026 To cttee Letter from the from the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the draf…
20 May 2026 To cttee Letter from the Minister of Climate relating to The Climate Change Act 2008 (I…
11 Mar 2026 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport relati…
22 Jan 2026 From cttee Letter to Secretary of State for Transport relating to the Government response …