Outlook 2025: How the UK can be a world leader in decarbonising aviation
The aviation industry needs government action and policy support to realise the potential of hydrogen as part of SAF, and the UK has the potential to lead the way
Aviation is a highly energy-intensive sector, accounting for around 2% of the world’s CO₂ emissions and up to 4% of the EU’s. It is also the second-biggest source of emissions in the transport sector, after road transport, generating 13.9% of emissions, according to the European Commission. To give context to the intensive nature of its energy use, a person flying from Lisbon to New York and back generates roughly the same level of emissions as an average person in Europe does heating their home for a year. This is a stark reminder to all of us on a personal level of the responsibility we have as consumers. Government, industry and financiers are working hard to make adoption easier and chea
Also in this section
25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
