The Airport Operator Spring 2025
Duncan McCourt
March 2025
Sustainable Aviation’s Chief Executive, Duncan McCourt, reports on aviation’s plans to decarbonise.
Aviation is firmly back into the political and media landscape, with the Transport Secretary giving her inprinciple backing to an expanded Gatwick, and the Chancellor’s growth speech containing such strong support for aviation as a driver and enabler of economic growth for all parts of the UK. It is great to see the government having confidence in the solutions we have available to reduce our environmental impact to allow that growth to happen.
This attention makes it more important than ever that the aviation industry shows that it is and will continue to decarbonise. UK aviation was the first in the world to commit to net zero by 2050, and the Sustainable Aviation Net Zero Road-Map is our plan for how to get there.
There are of course challenges, but we are already making good progress. UK emissions are down by 10% since 2005, while passenger numbers are up 20%. Through a combination of more efficient aircraft, better airspace management, commercialising Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), developing zero emission technology like hydrogenpowered aircraft and using effective greenhouse gas removals – I have no doubt that we will get to net zero by 2050.
Read on: Pages 9 - 11 AirportsUK-Magazine_Spring-2025c.pdf
