Sustainable Aviation calls for aviation to take priority in UK COVID-19 recovery

In a letter to the UK Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, the Sustainable Aviation coalition has called for aviation to be at the heart of the UK government’s economic recovery strategy, saying that a stable approach to decarbonising aviation will enable the country to rapidly bounce back from COVID-19.

To achieve this, Sustainable Aviation has called on the government to capitalise on the UK’s world-leading position on sustainable aviation fuel technology by committing £500 million to support early stage projects. This follows recent news that Europe’s first municipal waste-to-jet fuel facility – Altalto Immingham – was granted planning permission in North East Lincolnshire.

The coalition also called for the UK government to work with the aviation industry to:

• Develop aircraft and engine technology research and development capabilities, ensuring that the UK is among the first in the world to develop hybrid and electric aircraft
• Accelerate UK airspace modernisation, to make use of new aircraft performance capability and reduce emissions and noise
• Progress robust carbon offset measures and carbon-removal technologies.

The Chair of Sustainable Aviation, Adam Morton, said: “In February 2020, UK aviation committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 and laid out a plan to achieve this through investing in cleaner aircraft and engine technology, smarter flight operations, sustainable aviation fuels and high-quality carbon offsets and removals.”

He continued: “Three months on, these actions all remain essential to delivering sector wide decarbonisation, particularly given the role UK aviation can play as an engine for rebuilding the economy. But, to capitalise on these opportunities, we need urgent action from the government, particularly to support the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel technology in the UK.”