Heathrow’s sustainability director, Matthew Gorman, has warned that climate change has become an “existential threat to UK aviation,” arguing that aviation emissions are rising even as other sectors face pressure to cut back.

Gorman said the sector faces a “very clear risk” for aviation in the UK and for Heathrow in particular, especially in light of a new government report forecasting that aviation could become the country’s biggest greenhouse-gas emitter by 2040. The report projects emissions increasing from about 30 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022 to as much as 44 million tonnes by 2040.

The article says much of the growth would be driven by ambitious airport expansion plans. Heathrow is planning a £49bn third runway, Gatwick is preparing for a second runway by 2029, and several regional airports are also looking to expand. It notes that energy-intensive industries—such as cement, glass and chemicals manufacturers—argue that aviation’s growth undermines their efforts, complaints that the author says are gaining traction with policymakers.

Heathrow’s Gorman is quoted linking the issue to wider economic impacts, saying significant global climate-related disruption would be damaging for aviation. The article also cites Department for Transport reporting that aviation is one of the world’s fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gases, having roughly doubled since 2000 and expected to rise further by 2040 even under currently planned carbon abatement measures.

The piece further describes how aviation’s lower overall costs contribute to its growth, citing exemptions from fuel duty and VAT on commercial jet fuel, and exemptions for some flights from the Emissions Trading Scheme and the Climate Change Levy. It says these exemptions anger energy-intensive industries that say climate policy is inconsistent.

Finally, the article references industry plans to reduce emissions—such as efficiency improvements and sustainable aviation fuels—while warning that if aviation becomes one of the top emitting sectors without a credible decarbonisation plan, pressure could grow to restrict people’s ability to fly.