Climate action: UK’s Labour Party has made a blunder in greening aviation

[Last week], ministers approved London City Airport’s expansion plans, directly countering the recommendation from the Climate Change Commission, a government advisory body, that “there should be no net expansion of UK airport capacity unless the sector is on track to sufficiently outperform its net emissions trajectory.” It’s safe to say that the criteria haven’t been met.

There is nuance in the decision, meaning that it’s not an outright win for the aviation sector. London City’s bid to increase the annual passenger cap to 9 million by 2031 from 6.5 million was approved, but the maximum number of aircraft movements—take-offs and landings—will remain at 111,000 a year. 

A request for extra flights on weekday mornings was granted, though the weekly 24-hour suspension of flights from 12:30pm on Saturdays has been retained—a small win for local residents desperate for peace and quiet.

The application was based on a commitment to allow only more efficient, quieter new-generation aircraft, such as the Embraer E195-E2 and Airbus A220-100, to fly during extended operating periods. That’s a nice thought, but it’s a far cry from the ambition the sector needs to slash emissions. 

Serving largely wealthy frequent flyers travelling for business, there are legitimate questions about who benefits from the London City Airport expansion. In 2019, approximately 43% of seats were occupied by folks who fly at least once every two months. 

Plus, analysis by think-tank New Economics Foundation found that 64% of journeys taken from the airport in 2019 could have been completed in two train journeys or fewer, while more than half could be reached in six hours or shorter via rail.

This isn’t just about a single airport, however. Globally, the sector is expanding. There are currently 28,400 commercial aircraft in the world fleet, with more than 15,000 on order. 

Despite all these extra planes coming online, there’s not nearly enough extra sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)—a term encompassing a range of alternative fuels, some more sustainable than others—to meet that demand. Just 0.17% of aviation fuel was SAF in 2023.

Meanwhile, innovative zero-emission aircraft powered by hydrogen or electricity are far from being commercially ready, and there’s not yet enough incentives in place to convince airlines or airports to invest and prepare for them in the future.

Labour has room to take a bolder approach to ensure aviation has a sustainable future.

For instance, the UK and the EU now have SAF mandates. Beginning in 2025, a rising percentage of jet fuel will have to be SAF, with sub-targets for so-called power-to-liquid fuels, which are considered more scalable and able to achieve greater emissions reductions than waste-based jet fuels.

The problem is these advanced fuels are far more expensive than conventional jet fuel—as much as 120% to 700% more than their fossil fuel counterparts—making them cost prohibitive to adopt. But there’s a way that Labour could address that while raising necessary funds for the transition.

Matt Finch, UK policy manager at Transport and Environment, a European advocacy group for clean transport, told me that any British motorist paid more in fuel duty the last time they filled up the tank than British Airways has ever paid because jet fuel is exempt, and only 30% of aviation emissions are included in the UK’s emissions trading scheme, meaning there is effectively no carbon pricing on the fossil fuels that airlines are using. 

Research from T&E found that a kerosene tax in the UK, at the same rate that motorists pay, would have raised £6.7 billion in 2019. Labour has stressed that there’s little money in the coffers. Well, that would raise some.

Any airport expansions should also come with conditions. Telling Heathrow that it could have its third runway on the condition that only zero-emission or SAF-powered planes can take off and land there, for example, may just spur airports and airlines to pick up the pace on decarbonization after decades of dragging their feet.

Nevertheless, the only sure way to reduce emissions from aviation in the short term is to fly less. That could change, but only if policy initiatives are adopted to shake aviation out of its hubris. 

Also read: Bacteria can cut CO2 emissions, create sustainable aviation fuel & sneakers

With decisions expected soon on expansion applications from Gatwick and Luton airports, Labour ought to carve out a new direction for the industry. ©bloomberg