Sustainable Aviation (SA), the industry body championing aviation net zero, has set out today (17 March 2026) at the Sustainable Skies World Summit how the UK aviation sector is working together to boost the Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) market, and separately, to address the impact of aviation’s non-CO₂ emissions such as contrails.

Made up of a coalition of airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers, fuel producers and international partners committed to net zero by 2050, Sustainable Aviation has launched an Advanced Market Signal, a first-of-its-kind project across a specific sector.

Through an Advanced Market Signal, Sustainable Aviation members will invest more than £2 million to buy Greenhouse Gas Removal credits to support early development of the GGR market.

Members are acting now to support this proof-of-concept, scalable initiative that demonstrates the aviation sector’s desire to work together to address hard-to-abate emissions from operations. SA also sets out in its publication what’s needed by the industry alongside appropriate government support to scale GGR technologies and support UK decarbonisation goals.

By 2050, it is expected the UK aviation sector will likely require around 20-30 million tonnes of removals annually to mitigate residual emissions and help the sector reach net zero. Aviation isn’t alone in needing Greenhouse Gas Removals, with other hard to abate sectors requiring significant volumes of GGRs.

The aviation industry has been clear that permanent GGRs have an important part to play in addressing emissions from aviation. GGRs are one of many solutions the sector will need to decarbonise alongside other solutions such as airspace modernisation; next generation aircraft; zero-carbon flight technology; hydrogen and Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Today, Sustainable Aviation has separately set out four steps to tackle aviation’s non-CO₂ environmental impact, such as contrails and nitrogen oxides.

Aviation’s climate impact extends beyond carbon dioxide, with non-CO₂ effects accounting for a portion of its total warming influence.

In a position paper, the industry body’s key principles will align SA’s future work, to which members are actively working on, as the aviation sector continues to take further action to address non-CO₂ emissions. These include:

• Better use of data such as using new sensors on planes to track emissions and weather in real-time;
• Targeted fuels through prioritising Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) on long-haul flights;
• Smart flight paths to test contrail avoidance trials and the effects of different flying techniques on non-CO₂ emissions; and
• Expert collaboration by working with scientists to develop the best ways to measure and reduce these complex effects.

The position paper on non- CO₂ impacts also sets out how it will inform collaboration in the UK aviation sector and inform decision-making about mitigation options, which will have a meaningful impact on non- CO₂ emissions.

Sustainable Aviation’s announcement forms part of a package of action complimenting the Government’s Jet Zero Taskforce, bringing stakeholders together to unblock barriers to support aviation’s decarbonisation journey, while also supporting innovation, jobs and economic growth.

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.”

Sustainable Aviation’s publication’s can be found at the links below:

• Greenhouse Gas Removals Advanced Market Signal
• Advanced Market Signal Appendix 1 – Principles and Technical Criteria
• UK Aviation And Non CO₂ Impacts Position Paper

Notes to editors:

• Sustainable Aviation is the industry body championing aviation’s decarbonisation efforts. It is a coalition of UK airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers, fuel producers and partners all committed to delivering net zero carbon aviation by 2050, and to minimising the aviation sector’s noise and air quality impacts.
• Sustainable Aviation has published its reports alongside the Jet Zero Taskforce reports being published today. They are designed to complimented each other and fulfils a Sustainable Aviation Net-Zero Carbon Road-Map aim, but also, a Jet Zero Taskforce objective.
• More than £2 million will buy carbon removal credits and support a proof-of-concept, scalable initiative that’s designed to demonstrate efforts needed by the industry alongside appropriate government support to scale greenhouse gas removal technologies and support UK decarbonisation goals.
• At a cost of £100 to £200 per tonne, this equates to between 10,000 and 20,000 tonnes of carbon permanently removed from Earth’s atmosphere.
• Members representing many parts of the industry have contributed to the Advanced Market Signal. These include Airbus; British Airways; London Gatwick Airport; Heathrow Airport; London Luton Airport; Manchester Airports Group; and NATS.
• The Jet Zero Taskforce estimates aviation will need 20-30 million tonnes of removals per year, while the Climate Change Committee forecasts 23 million tonnes per year by 2050. Sustainable Aviation is preparing an update to its 2023 Road-Map which will be published this year with new forecasts.
• UK airlines participate in several climate policies: Sustainable Aviation Fuels mandates, the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and the CORSIA carbon offsetting regulation. The SAF mandate provides incentives for GGRs but we welcome the opportunity to work with government on policies to make GGR credits more affordable and accessible for SA members.