Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential to reduce aviation emissions through improved air traffic management.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
The UK has set targets for the next five years for air traffic management aimed at reducing flying times and therefore aircraft emissions. These are in line with the environmental target contained within the EU performance scheme. In addition UK industry is actively involved in the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programme which is developing new technology and operational procedures that will lead to further improvements in this area. This includes the implementation of the Civil Aviation Authority’s Future Airspace Strategy which has the need to reduce aviation emissions as a key objective.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have conducted into (1) understanding how noise emissions from aviation impact on local communities, and (2) the effectiveness of different noise mitigation approaches in reducing the number of individuals affected by aircraft noises.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
In 2012 a National Noise Attitude Survey was carried out on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which included attitudes to noise from transport sources including aircraft.
In 2014/15, Ipsos/MORI conducted on behalf of the Department for Transport a survey on noise attitudes which focused on noise from civil aviation, near to major airports in England. The results of the survey are currently being analysed with a view to publishing a report next year.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to encourage the development of sustainable aviation fuels in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for Transport and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership established a Transport Energy Task Force in September 2014 to examine options to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets, including through the wider deployment of sustainable biofuel. The Task Force included input from representatives of the Sustainable Aviation group. The Task Force’s report was published in March 2015 by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. My hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, the Hon Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Andrew Jones) met with Task Force representatives, including Sustainable Aviation, in July.
The Task Force recognised that sustainable biofuels have a valuable role in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives such as aviation.
We are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on amendments to the RTFO scheme.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to including producers of aviation fuel in the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for Transport and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership established a Transport Energy Task Force in September 2014 to examine options to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets, including through the wider deployment of sustainable biofuel. The Task Force included input from representatives of the Sustainable Aviation group. The Task Force’s report was published in March 2015 by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. My hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, the Hon Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Andrew Jones) met with Task Force representatives, including Sustainable Aviation, in July.
The Task Force recognised that sustainable biofuels have a valuable role in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives such as aviation.
We are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on amendments to the RTFO scheme.
Asked by: Lord Soley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to encourage research into sustainable aviation fuels and advanced fuels technologies.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for Transport ran an Advanced Fuels Call for Evidence in 2013/14 to examine the potential of advanced fuels in aviation and other transport sectors that cannot be easily decarbonised without low-carbon fuels. A summary of the evidence received was published with the Department’s response to the consultation on the post-implementation review of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2014. Amendments to the RTFO earlier this year increased rewards for gaseous fuels, such as biomethane used in freight, to better reflect their energy content.
The Department also commissioned an independent feasibility study to examine the economic benefits and potential of advanced biofuels in the UK, published in February 2014, the study informed the design of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Plant Competition for £25m of matched grant funding. Winning projects were announced on 7th September 2015.
Following the report of the Transport Energy Task Force in March 2015, we are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and support under that scheme for synthetic fuels from renewable electricity. We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on potential amendments to the RTFO scheme.