A judicial review of the UK government’s Jet Zero strategy will be heard in the High Court from 1–4 April. The challenge, brought by the Group for Action on Leeds Bradford Airport (GALBA), questions the feasibility of achieving net zero aviation emissions by 2050 through alternative fuels and emerging technologies.
Jet Zero, introduced in 2022 and retained by the current Labour government, promotes biofuels, hydrogen, carbon capture, and aircraft efficiency improvements to decarbonise aviation. However, independent experts—including the Royal Society and industry consultants—argue that sustainable aviation fuels remain scarce and costly, while hydrogen and electric flight face significant technological and economic hurdles.
The Climate Change Committee has labelled Jet Zero a “high-risk” strategy and warned that aviation growth targets are incompatible with net zero commitments. Despite these concerns, airport expansion projects are still being considered, raising questions about the UK’s long-term approach to aviation sustainability.
