Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
Ensure aviation sector pays fair share and include Sustainable Aviation Fuels in ETS.
Recommendation
The Government should ensure that the aviation sector pays its fair share towards mitigating its carbon emissions and the benefits it receives in comparison to other sectors. Aviation should be included in Emissions Trading Schemes and the government should include the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels within the ETS. (Recommendation, Paragraph 112)
Government Response Summary
The government states that aviation is already included in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for certain flights, and the scheme already supports the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels. It notes the UK ETS Authority will review SAF treatment and consult on options in due course.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government is driving cost-effective decarbonisation of the aviation sector through carbon pricing schemes, including the UK ETS and CORSIA. These schemes are aligned with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, whilst giving businesses the flexibility to decide how to decarbonise cost-effectively, incentivising technology-agnostic emissions reductions. For aviation, the UK ETS covers flights within the UK, between the UK and Gibraltar, and from the UK to the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The UK ETS emissions cap is aligned with a net zero trajectory, which will incentivise decarbonisation including through a robust carbon pricing signal. The Government is already using the UK ETS to support the use of SAF. Airlines using eligible SAF can reduce their obligations to purchase UK ETS emissions allowances. Furthermore, the UK ETS Authority committed to review the treatment of SAF under the UK ETS, in the context of the introduction of the UK SAF Mandate, and intends to consult on options in due course. For international flights, carbon pricing requires cooperation with other governments and the Government is committed to global action on aviation decarbonisation through international processes. The DfT will continue to use our influence at ICAO to push for the implementation and strengthening of existing measures, such as CORSIA, in support of net zero 2050.