Aviation Industry calling for EU strategy: is net zero air travel possible?

The aviation industry, long criticised for its environmental impact, accounts for 2-3% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and around 3-4% of the global temperature rise. As air travel demand continues to soar, so does concern about its sustainability, prompting urgent calls to reduce emissions to net zero in EU. But is this goal too ambitious or is it truly achievable?

Destination 2050 was announced in February 2021 as a strategy to promote sustainability within the aviation industry, led by ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe (A4E), ASD Europe, European Regions Airline Association (ERA), and CANSO Europe. In accordance with EU climate goals, this plan aims to see net zero CO2 emissions from all flights within or departing from the EU, UK and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries by 2050. Put simply, the goal is for the amount of CO2 released by the aviation industry to be equal to or less than the amount it removes from the environment.

Numerous factors weigh into the environmental impact of a journey, with total CO2 emissions differing depending on aircraft model, flight distance, passenger load, etc. A ‘roadmap’ details the steps that must be taken to reach Destination 2050, with the following four goals being highlighted:

• Improvements in aircraft and engine technologies will achieve emission reductions of 27%
• Scaling up alternative fuels and sustainable energy will achieve emission reductions of 56%
• Implementing economic measures will achieve emission reductions of 12%
• Improvements in air traffic management (ATM) and aircraft operation will achieve emission reductions of 6%

The most pivotal change is predicted to come from the use of alternative fuels or SAFs (sustainable aviation fuels), whereby the kerosene (a fossil fuel that releases CO2 as it combusts) standardly used in planes is replaced with fuels derived from renewable sources such as biomass and waste. But, whilst they may reduce a flight’s CO2 emissions, the production process of SAFs can harm the environment.

Unsurprisingly, none of these changes come cheaply. Quality materials and extensive ongoing research, such as that into new technologies and SAFs, incur high costs. Since the challenge of sufficiently cutting emissions is fierce, the industry will invest in carbon removal projects to counteract remaining emissions, further increasing expenditure.

It’s not just the airlines and manufacturers that have a part to play. In fact, over 300 airports are committed to the goal, such as Heathrow where public transport to the terminal is being promoted to reduce ground emissions, for example. This underpins the complexity of the project and the importance of collaboration. Olivier Jankovec, Director General at ACI Europe stated that, “whilst we embrace our responsibilities, it is clear that we cannot do this alone”, with Aviation Director at ASD Europe, Vincent De Vroey, highlighting that it is vital that the EU and national governments increase public funding for civil aviation research and technology. 

While the journey to net-zero may be turbulent, it doesn’t need to be a crash landing. Through well-defined strategies, collective action, and technical advancements, net-zero air travel is the ticket to a sustainable future.