UK advisors say aviation must pay for net zero, raising flight prices

The UK's independent Climate Change Committee has advised that the aviation industry must bear the full cost of decarbonization, a move that would likely lead to significant increases in flight prices for passengers. In a report released this week, the committee estimated that policies to reach net zero could add £150 to the cost of a return flight to Alicante, Spain, and £400 to a return flight to New York by 2050. The advice was provided in response to the government's recent approval of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. The committee warned there is "no credible pathway" for the expansion to proceed within the UK's legal climate targets under current aviation emission policies. It stated that before granting final approval, the government must legislate policies requiring the aviation sector to abate 100% of its emissions by 2050. Committee Chairman Nigel Topping emphasized the polluter-pays principle, noting that aviation emissions in the UK have doubled since 1990 while overall climate pollution has halved. He said Heathrow expansion alone would produce more emissions than any other sector by 2050.