In this episode, we talk to Matt Finch, UK Policy Manager at Transport & Environment (T&E), who shares insights into the challenges and opportunities in sustainable aviation.

Finch discusses T&E's role as Europe's leading advocate for clean transport and provides a critical perspective on current efforts to decarbonise the aviation industry. He highlights several key issues:

1. The lack of fuel duty on aviation fuel, which Finch argues artificially suppresses the cost of air travel and hinders the transition to more sustainable alternatives.
2. The UK's Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate, its strengths and weaknesses, and the challenges in scaling up SAF production.
3. The potential of alternative technologies such as hydrogen and electric aircraft, and the need for stronger government support to accelerate their development and adoption.
4. The environmental impact of airport expansion and the need for more stringent conditions on growth.
5. The importance of addressing non-CO2 impacts of aviation, which Finch says account for two-thirds of the sector's overall climate impact.

Throughout the conversation, Finch advocates for more ambitious policies and actions to address aviation's environmental impact, while remaining cautiously optimistic about the potential for progress in the sector.

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Hiske Arts, Campaigner at Fossil Free Netherlands (Fossielvrij NL), who explains why climate activists don’t buy the aviation industry’s commitment to addressing climate concerns. Check it out here. 

Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry’s challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air’. Click here to learn more.

Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.

Links & More:

Aviation - T&E

Roadmap to climate neutral aviation in Europe - T&E  

UK to implement SAF mandate beginning in 2025 - Biomass Magazine 

The current state of scientific understanding of the non-CO2 effects of aviation on climate - David Lee 

The ICCT’s bitter but essential prescription for net zero emissions by 2050 - SimpliFlying 

➡️ Can climate activists and the aviation industry ever get along? - SimpliFlying