Heathrow third runway expansion clashes with UK net zero targets, climate advisers warn

The UK Climate Change Committee has released a report saying Heathrow Airport's planned third runway and expansion to 150 million passengers a year is incompatible with Britain's legally binding climate goals. Aviation emissions have more than doubled since 1990 while UK economy-wide emissions have halved, and Heathrow accounts for roughly half of the aviation sector's total. The committee says the industry would need to reach net zero by 2050 for the expansion to fit national targets, but those conditions do not exist today. Government advisers are pushing for a polluter pays approach that combines direct emission cuts with spending on carbon capture and other technological fixes. The Labour government has backed the expansion on economic growth grounds, setting up a direct clash between airport infrastructure plans and the UK's 2040 emissions reduction target of 87%. The report lands after Britain recorded its hottest summer on record for the second year running, adding pressure on policymakers to reconcile aviation growth with climate commitments.