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

Clear

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

1 item
23 Recommendation 5th Report - Airport expansion and clim… Not Addressed

Set out detailed analysis on aviation impacts and mitigations if airport expansion proceeds.

If the Government proceeds with airport expansion it should set out to the Committee in its response to this report, in-depth analysis on: • How it will ensure carbon costs will reach the level the Government expected in the Jet Zero Strategy. It should also set out a realistic timeline … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government reiterated its commitment to existing carbon pricing mechanisms and stated that Jet Zero Strategy figures were illustrative, not targets. It did not provide the requested in-depth analysis on how carbon costs would be ensured, specific emission savings, penalties, international flight targets, or environmental …
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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 …