CCC: Aviation and shipping strategies should be pulled into line with net zero goals

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has today written to the government setting out how international aviation and shipping emissions should be incorporated into the UK's legally-binding net zero goal for 2050, necessitating the introduction of new policies to curb emissions from both industries.

In a letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps from CCC chair Lord Deben, the government's climate watchdog stresses that its recommendation earlier this summer that the UK should aim to become a net zero economy by 2050 is "based on [the] formal inclusion of IAS [international aviation and shipping] emissions within the target".

"Without this a more ambitious target is likely to be required," the letter states.

The CCC acknowledged the primary mechanism for tackling aviation and shipping emissions is through international agreements, such as the recently brokered deals to introduce an international aviation offsetting scheme. But it argues such agreements do not remove the need for domestic policy action.

"International framing should not prevent the inclusion of IAS emissions in UK carbon targets, as is already the case for other sectors that are covered by international agreements and potentially exposed to competitiveness pressures (e.g. energy-intensive industry)," Lord Deben writes. "Addressing IAS emissions is strategically important. Formal inclusion of IAS emissions in the net-zero target would complement agreed international policies and should not be interpreted as a unilateral UK approach to reducing emissions in these sectors."

He adds that IAS emissions are on track to account for a large chunk of UK emissions in 2050 and as such specific action is required to curb them. He also argues that domestic policy measures would increase confidence the government is "appropriately prioritising" action to curb IAS emissions and clarify how other sectors will need to decarbonise, for example through offsetting schemes.

As such, the letter concludes the government should incorporate shipping and aviation into its wider net zero policy framework and explore a range of policies for potentially curbing aviation demand, accelerating the adoption of clean technologies, and enabling effective carbon offsets.

"The planning assumption for IAS should be to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050," the letter states. "This should be reflected in your forthcoming Aviation Strategy and as the Clean Maritime Plan is taken forward. It means reducing actual emissions in these sectors and is likely to require some use of greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) to offset remaining emissions."

Moreover, in a line that is likely to be welcomed by opponents of airport expansion, the letter says the government "should assess its airport capacity strategy" in the context of IAS emissions being covered by the net zero goal. "Specifically, investments will need to be demonstrated to make economic sense in a net-zero world and the transition towards it," it adds.

"The government can take steps towards enabling IAS to reach net-zero emissions in the UK and internationally by establishing a new market for GGRs," the letter concludes. "Such a strategy could create a significant new global export opportunity for the UK in GGR technology and expertise."

Commenting on the letter, CEO of the CCC, Chris Stark, said aviation and shipping required a "credible plan" to decarbonise to net zero, and they should be included in the UK's net zero goal.

"Now is the time to bring the UK's international aviation and shipping emissions formally within the UK's net-zero target," he said. "Their inclusion in the UK target will complement international approaches and increase confidence that the government is prioritising their reduction, ensuring the net-zero target covers all of the UK's emissions. As the UK prepares to host the next major climate summit in 2020, we are well placed to show global leadership on this fundamental issue of international concern."

The Department for Transport said it would now "carefully consider" the advice of the CCC. "The fight against climate change is the greatest and most pressing challenge facing the modern world and this government recognises that aviation and shipping have a crucial role to play in tackling it," a spokesperson said. "The government has already made clear its commitment to zero emission shipping in the Clean Maritime Plan, which was published earlier this year. We are also committed to setting a clear ambition for the aviation sector and will carefully consider the advice of the Committee on Climate Change when we publish our position on aviation and climate change for consultation shortly."

Green groups were quick to welcome the CCC's intervention as further evidence the government needs to develop a more robust green aviation and shipping strategy and re-think its support for Heathrow expansion.

"The government's climate advisors have made it very clear that the UK's aviation emissions must be included in our carbon budget," said Dr Doug Parr, chief scientist for Greenpeace UK. "This allows for further growth in the sector of 25 per cent by 2050, assuming that all of the industry's planned technological improvements work as intended. That means that the government's current aviation strategy is incompatible with our net zero target, and must be revised. The new strategy must focus on restricting demand growth, and will either require Heathrow's third runway being cancelled, or capacity restrictions on other airports to balance Heathrow's expansion."

Leo Murray, Director at 10:10 climate action and one of the leading proponents of a frequent flier levy also welcomed the CCC's letter.

"For too long, aviation has been given a free ride in climate policy," he said. "Politicians have been happy to put it in the 'too hard' box, but ignoring the rapidly increasing emissions from aircraft doesn't make them go away. The government is now talking up electric planes, and we agree that this should be an innovation priority. But we have to be honest that the potential for these kind of technology improvements to contribute to carbon cuts in short timeframe available to avoid environmental disaster is very limited. 

"The CCC make it very clear that growth in demand for flights from UK airports cannot continue unchecked. That's why we need to introduce a frequent flyer levy. Most of the environmental damage from air travel is caused not by annual family holidays but by very frequent leisure flights by those at top end of the income spectrum. A frequent flyer levy is the fairest and most effective way to keep aviation emissions within safe limits, at the same time as protecting access to some air travel for all."

However, Chairman of Sustainable Aviation, Neil Robinson, stressed that any UK action to tackle aviation emissions had to come in parallel with bolder international policies.  

"Climate change is a clear and pressing issue for people, businesses and governments across the world, and we welcome the leadership shown by Ministers in legislating for the UK to be net zero by 2050," he said. "We believe that through an international approach, with the right Government support, and together with substantial investment from industry, net zero is within reach for UK aviation if we all play our part.

"Building on the work we've already done, we should continue to develop new technologies, including working with fuel producers to develop sustainable aviation fuels and the successful introduction of global offsetting schemes through which airlines will pay for any extra emissions they create… Carbon reduction, however, is a global issue requiring a global response, with governments and industry working closely together, and for emissions to be managed within an international framework. If the UK climate ambition is not matched elsewhere, the global market would be distorted with carbon emissions simply exported to other countries, which would be bad for the environment and bad for British travellers."

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye, said the company welcomed the recommendation to include aviation in the UK's net zero emissions target by 2050, and was now calling on the government to "introduce policies that avoid competitive distortion".

"Heathrow will work with industry partners and the government to ensure the UK leads the way in the development of sustainable fuels and continues to benefit from a thriving aviation sector while driving towards net zero emissions," he added.