To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total carbon emissions of the UK were for (a) domestic and (b) international aviation in the most recent year for which information is available. (115437)

In 2004, UK domestic aviation reported in the UK inventory was about 0.64 million tonnes of carbon equivalent (MtCe) and international aviation reported as an information item was about 9.1 MtCe, representing a 77 per cent. and a 111 per cent. increase from 1990 levels, respectively.

The impact of aviation on climate change is not limited to CO₂ emissions. Although there is need for further research, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has estimated that the total climate change impact of aviation is between two and four times greater than that of its CO₂ emissions alone. This is due to some of the other emissions released, including nitrous oxides, particulates and water vapour, and their specific effects at altitude.