Press release
24 June 2025
Press statement: UK's promising Industrial Strategy must drive zero carbon flying
London, 24 June 2025: The SASHA Coalition responded positively to the UK government’s long-anticipated Industrial Strategy, but called for more clarity regarding its support for zero carbon emission aircraft. The Industrial Strategy is designed to provide an economic boost to UK industry and business.
The white paper rightly highlights aerospace as a key frontier industry. However, the Strategy alone will not be enough to support the development of zero carbon emission aircraft, powered by electricity and/or green hydrogen, in the UK, and must be backed up by a supportive policy landscape.
Nuala Doyle, Policy Officer at the SASHA Coalition, said:
“The Industrial Strategy is a strong sign that the government wants to pave the way for the green industries of the future, recognising that nation-wide growth and job creation accompanies decarbonisation.
The Strategy rightly identifies aerospace as a leading UK industry, but unless it forefronts zero carbon emission aircraft, including green hydrogen-powered models, it could risk misusing funds that neither catalyse growth nor adequately cut emissions. These technologies will be central to decarbonising aviation and bold SASHA members like ZeroAvia are already showing their promise. The government must fuel the Industrial Strategy with the right policies, like a zero emission flight target, to realise the UK’s potential of becoming a leader in these green industries of the future.”
The SASHA Coalition wrote a response to the government’s Industrial Strategy consultation last year, which called for the Strategy to:
Commit to introducing a zero emission flight target.
Strengthen the e-kerosene sub-mandate within the SAF mandate and introduce a maritime e-fuels mandate.
Ensure that industry-funded revenue support mechanisms are targeted towards e-fuels.
Extend the UK ETS to cover international aviation and shipping emissions.
The Industrial Strategy also mentions hydrogen as a priority, but needs to be accompanied by assurances that it will be green hydrogen, produced with renewable electricity, rather than "blue hydrogen" produced with natural gas. The document did not contain any commitments regarding maritime decarbonisation.
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