PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Transport: Exhaust Emissions (23 October 2019)

The Government recognises the UK aviation industry’s success in taking steps to de-couple the growth in emissions from the continued demand for air services, but that there is still significant work to be done. Between 2010 and 2016, international air transport movements within the UK grew by 20%, but international greenhouse gas emissions increased by only 7%.

The UK has played a leading role in the aviation sector’s action to address its impact on climate change and will continue to do so. At the international level, the UK was instrumental in reaching agreement in ICAO, on a global market-based measure for international aviation, known as Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), and the introduction of the first global commercial aircraft CO2 standard.

As for shipping, greenhouse gas emissions decreased between 1990 and 2017 by 3% for UK international shipping and 30% for domestic shipping. Carbon emissions from ships over 5,000 gross tonnes using UK ports are also being collected and analysed under the International Maritime Organization’s Data Collection System (IMO-DCS) and European Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (EU-MRV) regime. In 2019 the Department for Transport published a study identifying various scenarios for emissions reductions from UK shipping. This study was published alongside the Clean Maritime Plan, which sets a route map for zero emission shipping in the UK.

The Government is committed to maintaining the UK’s position as a world maritime leader, and in 2018 the UK was a leading voice in the agreement of the Initial IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG from Ships.