The UK government has partnered with aviation companies and
environmental groups to form he Jet Zero Council, which will be charged with
making net zero emissions possible for commercial flights.
Announcing the new group last week during a coronavirus
daily briefing, transport secretary Grant Shapps said the aim is to demonstrate
flights across the Atlantic ocean without harmful emissions – “within a
generation”.
As part of the plan, the government is backing Velocys, a
company building a plant for aviation biofuels in Lincolnshire – a project
British Airways invested in last year. It is also supporting a programme at Cambridge
University and Whittle Labs to accelerate the development of technologies for carbon-free
flights.
Tim Alderslade, CEO of Airlines UK, welcomed the
announcement, saying: “It’s an excellent initiative and the transport secretary
should be applauded for demonstrating such a willingness to work with the
aviation industry to achieve our commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.
“There are huge opportunities for the UK to be a world
leader in sustainable aviation fuels production and electric aviation, creating
thousands of high-skilled jobs and major export opportunities in the process.
It’s a win-win for all of our regions who will stand to gain from this and for
the UK’s decarbonisation efforts, and we’re looking forward to taking part.”
Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee
added: “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, and the announcement today will
help industry meet its commitments in the sky as well.”