UK government announces creation of Jet Zero Council

During a daily UK government coronavirus briefing on 12 June 2020, the UK’s Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, announced the creation of the Jet Zero Council – a group that will be responsible for making net-zero carbon emissions a reality for all flights in the future.

During the briefing, Shapps said: “The challenge is to make transport – currently our biggest emitter of greenhouse gases – part of the solution, not the problem. Take the aviation sector, which has had an impossible few months. Yet, despite the obvious challenges, there’s a real determination within the industry to have a greener re-start.”

He continued: “So, we’re bringing together leaders from aviation, environmental groups and government to form the Jet Zero Council. This group will be charged with making net-zero emissions possible for future flights. Our goal – within a generation – will be to demonstrate flight across the Atlantic, without harming the environment.”

“And today we’re backing a company called Velocys who are building a plant for aviation biofuels in Lincolnshire. I’m also excited about a Cambridge University and Whittle Labs project to accelerate technologies for zero carbon flight,” Shapps added.

Responding to the UK government’s announcement, Airport Operators Association’s (AOA) Chief Executive, Karen Dee, said: “The creation of this advisory body will help to ensure government and industry work in partnership to make net-zero carbon emissions for the aviation industry a reality. Funding for sustainable aviation fuels will help to pump-prime an entirely new industry, generating new jobs and economic growth, while reducing emissions from international aviation. UK airports are doing all they can to reduce the carbon emissions from the operation on the ground, the announcement today will help industry meet its commitments in the sky as well.”