Biodiversity loss and nature recovery
Meeting legally binding targets for reversing biodiversity loss would require a range of challenges to be addressed but would also provide societal benefits.
Aviation has a growing impact on climate change, as demand for air travel increases globally. This POSTnote examines options for mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from aviation, including new technologies, demand reduction and emissions offsetting. It also outlines UK and global policy frameworks for implementing measures to do so.
Climate change and aviation (330 KB , PDF)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN615
Key points
Burning jet fuel releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and non-CO2 emissions. Commercial flights departing from the UK account for 7% of national GHG emissions. Aviation is likely to be the largest contributor to UK emissions in 2050.
Aviation is the most difficult transport mode to reduce emissions from. There are a wide range of technologies that help reduce emissions. Many technologies lack the required investment under current policies. The coordination of reducing aviation emissions is managed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Other emissions reduction measures are implemented by the EU. The UK’s has committed to ‘net zero’ emissions by 2050, but the UK Government has yet to clarify how emissions for air travel will be accounted for.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC, an independent body that advises the UK government on climate issues) and others have suggested that the UK increase efforts to mitigate emissions from aviation. There are several approaches to doing so, including new technologies, more efficient operations, demand reduction and emissions offsetting.
Acknowledgements:
POSTnotes are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders, and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:
(* denotes contributors who externally reviewed the POSTnote)
Climate change and aviation (330 KB , PDF)
Meeting legally binding targets for reversing biodiversity loss would require a range of challenges to be addressed but would also provide societal benefits.
This POSTnote outlines the mandatory biodiversity net gain policy introduced in England in 2024 and the risks and challenges for delivering its objectives.
This POSTnote outlines the benefits and challenges of using enhanced rock weathering as a GGR approach for addressing emissions from UK hard-to-abate sectors.