Third Heathrow runway should only go ahead if airlines pay for cleaner flying, say advisers

Heathrow’s third runway cannot be approved without changes to current climate policies, the government’s advisers have said.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) , externalsaid expansion can still go ahead but only if the aviation industry funds cleaner fuels and pays for machines that suck carbon dioxide out of the air.

Making the industry pay could push up the cost of flying with a return trip to Alicante costing around £150 more by 2050, and a return to New York up £400 in today’s prices, it said.

Once built, the expanded airport would produce more carbon dioxide than any other single sector of the economy by 2050. Heathrow said expansion and climate goals were “not a choice” and it would deliver both.

“Our advice today is clear – Heathrow expansion is not currently compatible with the UK’s Net Zero target,” said Nigel Topping, the CCC chair.

“Government needs to ensure that the aviation industry takes responsibility for the emissions it creates and bears the costs of decarbonisation. Those conditions do not exist today.”

The CCC report cannot block a new runway but it wants the government to pass legislation pushing responsibility for the long-term clean-up of aviation onto the industry.

The government would “carefully consider” the advice alongside other responses to its consultation according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

The government has an ongoing consultation which aims to judge any expansion against four tests – economy, climate, air quality and noise.

It does not approve a runway – that will come in a Commons vote expected later this year.

The £33bn project would raise Heathrow’s capacity to 150 million passengers a year – up from 85 million.

A DfT spokesperson said any expansion would need to align with the country’s climate targets, but added it “could deliver around £40bn to the economy and support up to 60,000 local jobs”.