Climate Change


Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions attributable to UK aviation reached a new record in 2019 and are forecast to be the single largest source of emissions in 2050, accounting for about 35% of the UK’s residual emissions.

It is estimated that Stansted Airport was responsible for the equivalent of about 3.4 million tonnes of C02 in 2019, making it the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the East of England. (Heathrow was said to be the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the whole of the UK in 2019.)

Stansted’s CO2 emissions were originally expected to increase to about 3.5 million tonnes in 2020 but as a result of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the revised projection is only about half of that figure. Further information about our estimate of Stansted’s CO2 emissions can be found below.

Campaigning to ensure Stansted Airport's authorised operations stay below harmful limits