Aviation tax cuts ahead of Cop26 undermine UK climate credibility

Any leadership on climate Britain may have claimed is increasingly enfeebled by emissions-boosting policy, writes Harry Cockburn

Cuts to taxes on domestic flights are at odds with UK’s climate commitments, campaigners warn (Getty)

With less than eight months to go until the UK hosts the UN’s Cop26 international climate summit, Boris Johnson’s government has announced plans to cut duty paid by passengers on domestic flights, in a move critics say is the latest demonstration it is not taking the climate crisis seriously.

The government has billed the domestic flights duty cut as part of efforts aimed at “boosting transport connections across the whole of the UK”, but experts have described it as “making a mockery of our climate commitments”.

In a statement released by the Department for Transport (DfT), Mr Johnson said: “I want to cut passenger duty on domestic flights so we can support connectivity across the country.”

Airlines have welcomed the decision but green campaigners have condemned the move, with Greenpeace describing the cuts for the polluting industry as “nonsensical”.

The Cop26 summit is regarded as the most important international meeting since the Paris Agreement was drawn up in 2015. The aim is to put countries on course to build greener, more sustainable economies following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and mitigate the risks posed by the climate crisis through essential greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

However, the UK government has now been repeatedly accused of undermining the project in the months building up to the summit.

While US climate envoy John Kerry is touring European capitals aiming to build momentum ahead of the summit, the British government has been involved in ratifying one environmentally calamitous decision after another.

These include:

• A huge £27bn road building programme, which experts have said will encourage greater levels of car usage
• An increase in rail fares higher than inflation
• A freeze on fuel duty
• The failure of the government to call in the decision to build a new coal mine in Cumbria
• The cancellation of the Green Home Grant scheme to improve home insulation

With the world’s eyes on the UK’s environmental progress, there is growing concern among experts, campaigners and politicians that instead of trying to “build back better”, the government is instead rebranding a return to business as usual.

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley tells The Independent: “Cutting air duty on domestic flights is nothing short of reckless and short-sighted from a prime minister that has once again shown he simply does not understand what it takes to tackle the climate emergency.

“As chair of Cop26 it is unfathomable why the government wants to try to increase domestic flights when there is no way of meeting net zero without a dramatic reduction in flying.

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time we have seen such poor judgement from this Conservative government. From opening new coal mines and announcing a £27bn road building programme to cancelling its Green Homes Grant scheme, it is hard to see how the UK can be taken seriously at this year’s vital climate summit if it does not get its own house in order.”

Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Jenny Bates says the decision to cut domestic flight duty “beggars belief”, and would encourage more people to fly around the UK.

She says: “Our climate has been paying the price for cheap air travel for far too long. A government committed to confronting the climate emergency should be taking steps to make public transport more affordable – not reducing the cost of high-carbon air travel.”

Jim McMahon, Labour’s shadow transport secretary, tells The Independent the cut to the tax “is not the right approach”, but did indicate the party wanted to support airlines.

He said: “A cut to domestic APD is not the right approach to support the aviation sector. Labour has consistently called for a sectoral deal that supports the whole aviation industry, including securing jobs and protecting the supply chain, while continuing to press for higher environmental standards. The government has had a year to deliver the aviation support package it promised. Its failure to do so is costing jobs.”

The Independent has contacted the Department of Transport for comment.