Airlines will not meet UK SAF targets

According to the UK’s Tourism Weekly, the Climate Change Committee, which advises the UK government, has stated that the UK aviation industry is unlikely to meet the government’s 2030 sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) target. The committee predicts that by 2030, SAF will account for only 6% of aviation fuel, falling short of the 10% target outlined in the January Sustainable Aviation Fuel Directive. The committee forecasts that SAF will reach 17% by 2040 and 38% by 2050. The report attributes the shortfall to expected supply constraints. It concludes that the aviation industry can still achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 through a combination of SAF adoption, efficiency improvements, aircraft electrification, demand management, and carbon removal technologies. However, the committee stresses that the costs of decarbonizing aviation should be reflected in flight prices, with additional demand management measures potentially needed.