Aviation has many benefits, connecting people and businesses and supporting the UK economy. It also has environmental impacts, notably aircraft noise, effects on local air quality, and contributions to climate change. The CAA has a role in managing these impacts and, where possible, reducing them, while keeping the system safe and efficient.
The UK has a legally binding target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and the Government is working with the aviation industry through the Jet Zero Taskforce to help it play its part in meeting that target. The Climate Change Committee's 7th Carbon Budget report shows that, as other sectors cut emissions faster, aviation’s share of total UK emissions is expected to grow unless efforts to decarbonise accelerate, which is why our regulatory and evidence roles matter.
As the UK’s independent aviation regulator, we enable and support the delivery of innovations that will reduce aviation emissions, oversee performance, and make sure environmental considerations are built into our decisions. Our Environmental Sustainability Strategy sets out how we work with government, industry, communities and international bodies to support cleaner technology, modernise airspace, report on performance (including noise), provide information to consumers, and reduce our own organisational footprint.
We assess, monitor and report on environmental performance across the sector. In December 2025 we published the latest UK Aviation Environmental Review which enables the public and stakeholders to track progress on noise, air quality and aviation emissions.
On aviation noise, we provide independent technical advice to government (for example, on methods and evidence), and we also act as the decision‑maker on whether proposed airspace design changes can proceed. We keep these functions distinct: our advice supports policy; our regulatory decisions follow a published process and must take environmental objectives into account alongside safety and efficiency.
Our technical analysis is evidence‑led. The CAA develops and maintains the UK aircraft noise contour model (ANCON) on behalf of the Department for Transport, and applies established methods to monitor and model noise around airports. This helps ensure the information we publish is robust and accessible to non‑specialists.
Independent scrutiny is important. Our Environmental Sustainability Panel - a non‑statutory group of independent experts - acts as a “critical friend,” challenging and supporting us as we deliver the strategy.
Strategy and outcomes
Our refreshed Environmental Sustainability Strategy is outcome driven and sets out our long-term intent, whilst enabling a more agile and flexible approach in the face of political, social, technology, and economic changes.
While the CAA has a key role to play, we do not control all the levers needed to deliver these outcomes, we will need to continue to work closely with partners across the aviation sector including government, industry, other regulators, academia, community groups, and non-governmental organisations in the UK and internationally - to reduce or mitigate aviation’s environmental impacts.
Out strategy focuses on 3 key outcomes:
Outcome 1 - Climate Impacts
By 2050, the UK aviation sector achieves system wide Net Zero Emissions (as defined by the IPCC), as well as addressing other detrimental aviation climate impacts, and, where possible, actively supports carbon removal to address the historic climate impacts of UK aviation.
Outcome 2 - Public health and local impacts
The impacts on public health and biodiversity of aviation, primarily from Noise and Air Quality, are understood, quantified, and, where practicable, are mitigated or reduced.
Outcome 3 - Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change (Climate adaptation)
UK aviation infrastructure and processes are resilient and adapt to the impacts of climate change, ensuring the long-term viability of air travel in a changing environment and maximising any potential co-benefits of adaptation activities.
The Strategy gives colleagues, stakeholders, and those we regulate a clear view of our long-term ambitions and the significant environmental challenges the aviation sector needs to address.
Environmental Information Forum
This Forum has been set up to help inform communities around UK airports about the CAA’s work and priorities that relate to the environmental impacts of aviation at a strategic level, and to provide an opportunity for them to give feedback on this work. The Forum meets every 6 months, membership includes:
- Community representative from the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF);
- Local Authority representation from the Strategic Aviation Special Interest Group (SASIG);
- The Chair of the UK Airports Consultative Committee (UKACC); and
- The Chair and/or Noise leads from the Airport Consultative Committee (ACC) at several UK airports.
Members are asked to share this information with community stakeholders that they work with in their areas and to seek feedback from them on the issues raised.