Airport expansion and climate and nature targets

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 28 Mar 2025 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on airport expansion and climate and nature targets. In this inquiry the Committee is seeking to: establish the climate and environmental targets which Ministers ought to ensure are met under its policy to support airport expansion; examine current projections for aviation demand, … Read more
17 Recommendations
12 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
3 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
20 May
2026
Correspondence
11 Mar
2026
Correspondence
22 Jan
2026
Correspondence
12 Jan
2026
Report published
24 Oct
2025
Report published
16 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
16 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
18 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
18 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
14 May
2025
Oral evidence
14 May
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
16 Jul 2025
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
David Silk · Department for Transport Dr Pauleen Lane CBE · Planning Inspectorate Hannah Newell · Department for Transport Ian Thynne · Hillingdon Council Mike Kane MP · Department for Transport Peta Donkin · National Infrastructure Planning Association Sonia Krylova · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
18 Jun 2025
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Andrew Meaney · Oxera Dr Alex Chapman · New Economics Foundation Dr Stuart Jenkins · University of Oxford Duncan McCourt · Sustainable Aviation Matthew Gorman MBE · Heathrow Neil Robinson · Manchester Airports Group
14 May 2025
View on parliament.uk
Panel 1; Panel 2
Alethea Warrington · Possible Celeste Hicks · Aviation Environment Federation Dr Lisa Lavia · Noise Abatement Society Johann Beckford · Green Alliance Paul Beckford · No 3rd Runway Coalition Professor Rob Miller · Whittle Laboratory, University of Cambridge
Title HC No. Published Items Response
5th Report - Airport expansion and climate and nature targets HC 831 24 Oct 2025 29 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
1 result
Clear
23 Recommendation Not Addressed
5th Report - Airport expansion and…
Set out detailed analysis on aviation impacts and mitigations if airport expansion proceeds.
If the Government proceeds with airport expansion it should set out to the Committee in its response to this report, in-depth analysis on: • How it will ensure carbon costs will reach the level the Government expected in the Jet … Read more
Government Response
The government reiterated its commitment to existing carbon pricing mechanisms and stated that Jet Zero Strategy figures were illustrative, not targets. It did not provide the requested in-depth analysis on how carbon costs would be ensured, specific emission savings, penalties, international flight targets, or environmental mitigations if the sector fails to decarbonise.
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 29 of 17 classified
Accepted 12
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 5
Deferred 10
Not Addressed 1
Total 17 recs + 12 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
20 May 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister of Climate relating to The Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipping) Regulations 2026, 17 April
Parliament page
11 Mar 2026 To committee Letter from Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport relating to the government’s response to the committee Airport expansion and climate and nature targets, 24 February
Parliament page
22 Jan 2026 From committee Letter to Secretary of State for Transport relating to the Government response to the committees report on Airport expansion and Climate and Nature targets, 22 January 2026
Parliament page