Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipping) Regulations 2026
Summary
The UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has laid draft Regulations before Parliament that would extend the Climate Change Act 2008 to include UK share of international aviation and international shipping emissions in domestic carbon budgets. Under Regulation 2, these emissions would count as UK source emissions for the 2033-2037 budgetary period and all subsequent periods. The UK share is defined as emissions the UK is required to report under international carbon reporting practice.
What changed
The draft Regulations, made under sections 30(1) and (6)(a) of the Climate Change Act 2008, introduce a new framework for counting international aviation and international shipping emissions within UK carbon budgets. Regulation 2 provides that the UK share of such emissions will count as emissions from UK sources beginning with the 2033-2037 budgetary period. The UK share is determined by international carbon reporting practice obligations.
Affected parties in the aviation and maritime sectors should monitor this development as these emissions will now be factored into UK carbon budgeting targets. The Government indicates no significant impact on private or voluntary sectors is foreseen, and no impact assessment was produced. Companies operating international flights or shipping routes should track final enactment and subsequent implementation guidance.
What to do next
- Monitor for Parliamentary approval and final publication
- Review current emissions reporting practices for international aviation and shipping
- Prepare for potential inclusion in UK carbon budgeting framework
Archived snapshot
Apr 15, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Draft Legislation:
This is a draft item of legislation and has not yet been made as a UK Statutory Instrument.
Draft Regulations laid before Parliament under sections 31(5) and 91(1) of the Climate Change Act 2008 for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.
Draft Statutory Instruments
2026 No. 0000
Climate Change
The Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipping) Regulations 2026
Made
Coming into force
The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 30(1) and (6)(a) of the Climate Change Act 2008 (“ the Act ”)(1).
A draft of this instrument has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament in accordance with sections 31(5) and 91(1) of the Act.
Before the draft was so laid, the Secretary of State obtained and took into account the advice of the Committee on Climate Change, in accordance with section 31(1) of the Act.
Citation, commencement and extent
- —(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Climate Change Act 2008 (International Aviation and International Shipping) Regulations 2026.
(2) These Regulations come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.
(3) These Regulations extend to the United Kingdom.
Emissions from international aviation and international shipping
- —(1) For the purposes of Part 1 of the Climate Change Act 2008 (carbon target and budgeting), the UK share of emissions from international aviation and international shipping count as emissions from sources in the United Kingdom for the 2033-2037 budgetary period(2) and all subsequent budgetary periods.
(2) In this regulation—
(a) “ international aviation and international shipping ” has the same meaning as in article 4 of the Climate Change Act 2008 (2020 Target, Credit Limit and Definitions) Order 2009(3);
(b) “the UK share” of emissions from international aviation and international shipping means such emissions of greenhouse gases(4) from international aviation and international shipping as the United Kingdom is required to report in accordance with international carbon reporting practice(5).
Name
Minister of State
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Date
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations make a change in respect of emissions to be counted as emissions from sources in the United Kingdom for the purposes of Part I of the Climate Change Act 2008 (c.27).
Regulation 2 provides for the UK share of emissions from international aviation and international shipping to count as emissions from sources in the United Kingdom for the 2033-2037 budgetary period and all subsequent budgetary periods. The UK share of emissions from international aviation and international shipping is to be such emissions of greenhouse gases as the United Kingdom is required to report in accordance with international carbon reporting practice.
An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.
(1) 2008 c. 27.
(2) “Budgetary periods” are defined in section 4(1)(a) of the Act.
(3) S.I. 2009/1258.
(4) “Greenhouse gases” are defined in section 92(1) of the Act.
(5) “International carbon reporting practice” is defined in section 94 of the Act.
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