Uk falls short of sustainable aviation fuel target in first year of government mandate

The United Kingdom’s ambitious push to green its aviation sector has hit early turbulence, with new government data revealing that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) adoption fell significantly short of official targets in 2025.

According to provisional figures released by the Department for Transport, sustainable fuels accounted for just 1.6% of all fuel supplied to UK flights during most of 2025—falling 20% below the government’s mandatory 2% target. This shortfall marks a concerning start for the UK’s first-ever SAF mandate, a key policy tool designed to reduce the aviation industry’s substantial carbon footprint.

The underwhelming uptake highlights the ongoing challenges facing the sustainable aviation fuel sector, including limited production capacity, high costs, and supply chain constraints. SAF, which can be produced from waste materials, plant oils, and other renewable sources, is considered crucial for decarbonizing air travel—one of the most difficult sectors to electrify due to the energy density requirements of long-haul flights.

This gap between policy ambition and real-world implementation underscores the uphill battle the UK faces in meeting its broader climate commitments. The aviation sector accounts for approximately 7% of the UK’s total carbon emissions, making successful SAF deployment essential for the country’s net-zero goals. Industry experts warn that without significant investment in production facilities and supportive policies, future mandates requiring even higher SAF percentages may face similar shortfalls, potentially undermining the UK’s climate leadership aspirations.