Heathrow aims to ensure 2019 was the year of peak carbon at the airport as part of a revised sustainability strategy.
The London hub’s goal is to reduce carbon from flights by up to 15% compared with pre-pandemic 2019 and to cut at least 45% of on the ground carbon emissions by 2030.
Government is being urged to support the delivery of ‘Heathrow 2.0: Connecting People and Planet’ by “injecting pace” into the provision of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
It also wants support for its case for a regulatory settlement from the Civil Aviation Authority, “which enables the necessary investment to achieve the commitments set out in this plan”.
Heathrow is introducing measures which it claims will minimise noise, improve local air quality and invest more in the airport’s local communities.
The airport is extending the London Living Wage from April to cover at least 1,300 staff.
A sustainable travel zone network of subsidised travel routes to and from the airport is also being introduced to encourage the use of public transport.
Heathrow’s previous sustainability strategy was launched five years ago and the new initiative aims to keep the airport on track to deliver net zero aviation by 2050.
Chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: “The launch of our refreshed Heathrow 2.0 strategy is a landmark moment in our sustainability journey, one which accelerates the shift in our industry towards a greener future.
“Decisive action needs to be taken this decade to remain on track for net zero and 2.0 sets out the roadmap to get us there.
“Not only will we cut carbon, but our ambitious strategy will maintain Heathrow’s leadership in innovation, social mobility and community engagement.”
However, environmental campaigners described the goals as “patently underwhelming”.
The No 3rd Runway Coalition said there is an acknowledgement that the UK government has set this target, but no analysis of which delivery mechanisms will be required to achieve it.
Chair Paul McGuinness said: “These goals to reduce emissions are pifflingly small in the limited areas where the airport could make a difference, and only ambitious in respect of technological developments over which they have no control.
“There’s a section on Sustainable Aviation Fuels, but these can only be delivered – if at all – by plane manufacturers when the current fleet comes out of service in twenty years’ time.
“The target to increase environmentally-friendly access to the airport, which depends on others delivering Crossrail, only envisages a 4% advance – paltry to some, but doubtlessly reflecting the airport’s abject failure to increase it by more than 1% over the last decade.
“Heathrow is trying to make the right noises but it’s little more than a ticking box exercise.”