Heathrow Expansion Conflicts With UK Climate Goals Without Stronger Airline Action: Advisers

LONDON — Plans to expand London’s Heathrow Airport with a third runway are incompatible with the United Kingdom’s climate targets under current policies unless the aviation industry takes greater responsibility for reducing its emissions, the government’s climate advisers have warned.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) said there is currently no credible pathway for the UK to achieve net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 while simultaneously expanding Heathrow without additional measures requiring airlines to bear the costs of decarbonisation.

CCC Chair Nigel Topping said the government would need to introduce legislation requiring the aviation sector to address the emissions generated by increased flying. The committee has called for airlines to make greater use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and invest in engineered carbon-removal technologies to offset emissions that cannot otherwise be eliminated.

The advisers have proposed a long-term strategy extending over 25 years, under which the costs of decarbonising aviation would be incorporated into airline operations. They have also urged the government to establish contingency measures in case key technologies fail to develop at the scale required.

Sustainable aviation fuel currently accounts for less than 1% of global aviation fuel use and remains considerably more expensive than conventional jet fuel. Carbon-removal technologies, including direct air capture, are also still at an early stage of development and have yet to achieve widespread commercial deployment.

The UK government has supported Heathrow’s proposed expansion as part of its wider economic growth strategy. The Department for Transport has said any expansion would have to comply with the country’s climate commitments, while the government has estimated that the project could generate around £40 billion for the economy and support up to 60,000 jobs.

The proposed third runway would increase Heathrow’s annual passenger capacity from roughly 85 million to about 150 million. The expansion remains subject to the government’s assessment of economic, climate, air-quality and noise considerations, with a final parliamentary decision expected later in the process.

Airlines have backed the UK’s goal of achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 but have raised concerns about the affordability of the transition. Industry representatives have instead emphasized measures including airspace reform and scaling up sustainable aviation fuels, while arguing that the aviation sector cannot finance the development of carbon-removal technologies on its own.

The CCC’s assessment adds to the debate over how the UK can reconcile plans for increased airport capacity with its legally binding climate commitments. The government is expected to consider the advisers’ recommendations alongside responses to its consultation on Heathrow expansion.