Highlands to become the world's first "zero net aviation region" by 2040

Under plans announced by the Scottish Government trials of low or zero emission flights in the Highlands will begin in 2021.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the move towards "fully decarbonised" flights and airports as part of a Green New Deal outlined at Holyrood yesterday.

Lorna Jack, chairwoman of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial), said: "We are delighted to be the key player in the Scottish Government’s aim to make the Highlands and Islands the world’s first net zero aviation region.

"At Hial, we are fully committed to improving our airports’ environmental and sustainability performance and our ambition is to become the first carbon-neutral airport group in Europe.

"Mitigating our environmental impact is already high on our agenda and having the opportunity to develop aviation whilst at the same time enhancing the industry’s environmental credentials is significant."

Highlands and Islands Green MSP John Finnie broadly welcomed the plan but suggested the target could be hard to meet.

"Obviously the prospect of the Highlands and Islands becoming a zero emission aviation region is welcome, but the technology to introduce such flights doesn’t currently exist," he said.

Also as part of the Green Deal Ms Sturgeon warned the North Sea oil and gas sector that the government’s support for the industry was now conditional on it helping to slash emissions.

She said she understood climate campaigners' calls for a complete withdrawal from North Sea oil and gas production, but said this would only lead to an increase in emissions through imports.

She said: "The oil and gas industry does have a bigger role to play.

"So I can confirm that our support for oil and gas will now be conditional on the sector’s actions to help ensure a sustainable energy transition."

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