Select committee: Environmental Audit Committee
Conclusion 34
Third Report - Net zero and the UK aviation sector
Published 21 Dec 2023
Paragraph 200
Environmental Audit Committee Net zero aviation and shipping All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Ministers have committed to five-yearly reviews of progress against the Jet Zero Strategy’s targets, and have undertaken to take action to amend policy if it appears to be necessary. On the current timetable the first such review is to take place in 2027. This appears to us to be a relaxed timetable for policy review at what is a critical stage for an incipient policy. If a review in 2027 concludes that targets are unlikely to be met, the ensuing policy changes will only bear fruit in the early 2030s—arguably too late for the emissions reductions initially envisaged to be achieved.
From: Environmental Audit Committee, Third Report - Net zero and the UK aviation sector (HC 404), paragraph 200, 21 December 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 3 April 2024 (deadline 21 February 2024).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it agrees with some recommendations, partially agrees with two and notes others, and sets out its approach through the Jet Zero Strategy, with a first major review in 2027.
- On the review of the Jet Zero Strategy, the government "notes" the recommendation for an initial review by the end of 2025; it will monitor progress annually from 2025, with "the first major review" in 2027.
- On sustainable aviation fuel, it agrees with the recommendations on safeguards and on international standards, and states that the UK "will introduce a SAF mandate from 2025", requiring at least 10% of UK aviation fuel to be SAF by 2030.
- It "notes" the recommendation on a SAF price support mechanism, stating that a revenue certainty mechanism could be delivered "by the end of 2026", with options to be carefully considered in a consultation.
- It "partially agrees" with the recommendations on land criteria for SAF feedstocks and on a zero-emission routes target, and "notes" the recommendation on demand management, citing DfT analysis that net zero targets can be met by focusing on new fuels and technology rather than capping demand.