Government and Industry Mark Major Progress on Net Zero Aviation at Sustainable Skies World Summit

The UK Government and aviation industry have today set out significant progress towards decarbonising air travel, as Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Keir Mather MP launched the Jet Zero Taskforce’s first annual report at the Sustainable Skies World Summit.

The report highlights the major milestones achieved in 2025 through close collaboration between the government, industry, and academia, marking a shift from planning to delivery in the UK’s net-zero aviation strategy.

Speaking at the summit, Keir Mather MP said the Government shares the industry’s ambition for “truly sustainable skies”: “The progress we are making is encouraging, but we must be clear eyed that there is still a long way to go on this journey, and there are real challenges ahead, but there are enormous opportunities too.

“The green transition is not only about protecting our planet, but also about strengthening our economy and our resilience. In an uncertain world, energy security has never been more important, and that is why we must keep building momentum, boosting the production and deployment of SAF, backing technological renovation, improving efficiency, and building robust carbon markets.”

Central to progress is the introduction of the UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate in January 2025, which requires fuel suppliers to blend SAF starting at 2% and rising to 10% by 2030. The policy is expected to cut emissions while supporting a domestic SAF industry. The Government has also advanced a Revenue Certainty Mechanism to unlock private investment and awarded £63 million through the Advanced Fuels Fund.

Industry has responded with increased SAF supply, new production facilities and partnerships such as Project Speedbird, alongside financial incentives from airlines and airports to accelerate uptake. Advances in zero-emission flight have also been made, including expansion of the Hydrogen Challenge programme and nearly £240 million in joint funding for next-generation aerospace technologies. Operational improvements, including the creation of a UK Airspace Design Service and more efficient aircraft spacing, are already delivering emissions reductions and improved performance.

The report also highlights progress on long-term solutions, including frameworks for greenhouse gas removals (GGRs) and carbon capture, alongside new research and trials to tackle non-CO₂ impacts such as contrails.

Complementing the report, Sustainable Aviation announced a £2 million “Advanced Market Signal” initiative to help scale the GGR market, with members committing to purchase carbon removal credits. The sector estimates it will require 20–30 million tonnes of removals annually by 2050.

Sustainable Aviation also outlined steps to address non-CO₂ emissions, including improved real-time data, targeted SAF use, smarter flight paths, and closer scientific collaboration.

Duncan McCourt, Chief Executive of Sustainable Aviation, said: “The UK aviation industry is working hard to address its climate impact.

“Scaling Greenhouse Gas Removals is essential for hard-to-abate sectors, and this Advanced Market Signal is the aviation industry acting now to help stimulate the growth of the GGR sector.  

“We have also made clear today that the aviation industry supports action to address the non-CO₂ impact of aviation. By accelerating research, trials, and collaboration, we can deliver practical solutions that reduce aviation’s full climate impact.”  

Taking place 17-18 March 2026, Sustainable Skies World Summit convenes the global aviation community and provides a platform for collaboration, innovation, and concrete action toward achieving the industry's NetZero goals.

Registration is still open, and the event is free to attend. To secure your place, visit https://sustainableskies.co.uk