Breaking the Holding Pattern: A new approach to aviation policy making in the UK

UK aviation delivers multiple benefits, but with these benefits come costs, notably greenhouse gas emissions, and negative impacts on the communities around aviation facilities.

Projections for large increases in aviation volumes, as outlined in the 2003 UK Air Transport White Paper, have prompted vigorous debate about the contribution of aviation to sustainable development.

In 2007 and early 2008, to inform its advice to government, the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), with the Institute for Public Policy Research, ran a stakeholder assessment on aviation. This unlocked a range of views, from businesses, industry representatives, governments, academia, citizens' groups and NGOs. This report presents our observations from the assessment, followed by our recommendations for government.