International aviation emissions
Ministers have announced that the government will formally include the UK’s share of international aviation and shipping emissions in future Carbon Budgets from 2033 onwards.
This comes after the Committee recommended in successive reports that the government legislate to include these emissions within carbon budgets, warning that failing to take account of them understates the UK’s contribution to climate change. Including them strengthens the credibility of net zero and reduces the risk of overstating climate progress.
National Highways
The Secretary of State for Transport has also expressed concern about evidence given to the Committee by the then-Chief Executive of National Highways, Nick Harris, in November 2025. Mr Harris later apologised for the “inaccuracy” of his evidence.
In a letter published today, the Secretary of State says Mr Harris’ evidence “clearly falls below” her standards of accuracy and transparency from the National Highways leadership.
Mr Harris’ gave evidence on a project to improve the A14 from Cambridge to Huntingdon, which cost £1.5 billion to deliver. National Highways planted 860,000 trees in Spring 2020 to replace and enhance biodiversity along the route. By August 2023, 45% of these trees were reported to have died. Several batches of replanting took place at a reported cost of £2.9m. Mr Harris initially told the Committee that these costs were borne by contractors, when in fact they were paid for by taxpayer money.
The Secretary of State also says that her officials are investigating options for new conditions to collect and disseminate environmental information related to highways schemes after they are completed. She adds that lessons from the A14 scheme in Cambridgeshire, which the Committee explored in its evidence session, have been formally incorporated into updated standards to protect the taxpayer from similar avoidable expense in the future.
Chair comment
Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, Toby Perkins MP, said:
“I welcome the news that the UK’s share of international aviation emissions will be included in future carbon budgets. Ignoring emissions beyond the UK’s borders is no way to tackle climate change. It is misleading and risks weakening public confidence in net zero. The previous government was right to commit to do this in 2021, although it didn’t actually enact this, and so I am pleased that following pressure from this Committee, as well as others, this government will now take formal action.
I also welcome the Transport Secretary’s commitments on the environmental impacts of highways projects. The UK needs infrastructure and we have already welcomed this government committing to biodiversity net gain on major infrastructure projects to ensure that it does not come at the expense of nature.
But in this case, despite considerable expense, the requisite gains for nature weren’t delivered and so it is good that we have an assurance that lessons from the A14 scheme will be learned, to protect taxpayer funds and nature from similar mistakes in future.
I am pleased overall that the government is listening to the Committee and look forward to continuing our vital work.”
Further information
Image: AdobeStock/Brian Jackson
