Committee publication · Correspondence · 20 May 2026
Letter from the Minister of Climate relating to The Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipping) Regulations 2026, 17 April
Summary
The Minister for Climate informs the Environmental Audit Committee that the Government has laid statutory instruments to formally include UK international aviation and shipping (IAIS) emissions in the Sixth Carbon Budget (2033–37) and all subsequent carbon budgets and the net zero target. A second instrument sets international credits usable toward the Fifth Carbon Budget at zero. The move aligns with long-standing government planning and independent Climate Change Committee advice.
Key findings
- Government has laid statutory instruments to include IAIS emissions in the Sixth Carbon Budget (2033–37), all subsequent budgets, and the 2050 net zero target
- A separate instrument sets the level of international credits the Government can use toward the Fifth Carbon Budget (2028–32) at zero
- The change does not alter the UK's legislated climate targets, introduce sector-specific limits, or set new policy requirements for aviation or shipping
- The Government describes this as alignment with its long-standing planning assumption and reflects advice from the independent Climate Change Committee
- Parliamentary committees, including the Environmental Audit Committee, have consistently called for IAIS emissions to be formally included in future carbon budgets
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Katie White OBE MP, Toby Perkins, Environmental Audit Committee, Climate Change Committee, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Notable line
“This instrument brings legislation into line with the Government's long ‑ standing planning assumption that emissions from IAIS would be included in carbon budgets from the Sixth Carbon Budget onwards.”
Key Quotes
“… the Government laid a statutory instrument this week to formally include the UK's share of international aviation and international shipping (IAIS) emissions in the Sixth Carbon Budget (2033-37), all subsequent carbon budgets, and the net zero target.”
“It does not change the level of the UK's currently legislated climate targets, introduce new sector-specific limits, or set new policy requirements for the aviation or shipping sectors.”
“… parliamentary committees, including the Environmental Audit Committee, have consistently called for IAIS emissions to be formally included in future carbon budgets.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗