Brian Barton
Airplane pollution is a pressing issue, with aviation being one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions that drive global climate change. The sector's emissions are rising rapidly, fuelled by increasing passenger and freight demand, and are projected to triple by 2050. To tackle this, various measures are being explored, including the development of electric aircraft, the use of clean fuels, and the adoption of policies to reduce aviation emissions. While technological advancements offer potential solutions, individual actions, such as reducing air travel and opting for more climate-friendly transportation options, also play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of aviation.
What are we doing about airplane pollution?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reducing corporate travel | By reducing corporate travel to 50% of pre-COVID levels, we can cut CO2 emissions by 32.6 MtCO2 by 2030 in Europe. |
| Using clean fuels | Using clean fuels can reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air. |
| Hydrotreating fossil jet fuels | Reducing the aromatics content of fossil jet fuel down to 8-10% can lower non-CO2 effects significantly without incurring significant costs. |
| Avoiding Ice Super Saturated Regions (ISSRs) | Avoiding flying through ISSRs can reduce non-CO2 effects. |
| E-fuels | E-kerosene can be sustainably scaled up to reduce the aviation industry's climate impact, but it requires large amounts of renewable energy. |
| Zero-emissions aircraft | Hydrogen or electric planes can help decrease aviation emissions for shorter ranges, but they will need significant funding to be operational by the mid-2030s. |
| Improved fuel efficiency | Fuel efficiency improvements of 1% per year have been observed, but they are outpaced by the 6% increase in flights. |
| Economic incentives | Developing economic incentives to reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry can help curb global emissions. |
| Policy changes | Policymakers should not champion endless aviation growth while recognizing the difficulty of decarbonizing the sector. |
| Alternative travel options | Coaches and trains are the lowest carbon means of travel, followed by driving with passengers. |
| Aircraft design | More restrictive efficiency standards for aircraft designs were implemented in 2020 for commercial jets and 2023 for business jets. |
| Sustainable aviation fuel | Biofuels and other alternative fuels are only a tiny fraction of global demand, but they have the potential to reduce emissions significantly. |
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What You'll Learn
Electric aircraft operations
Electric aircraft, with their high-power, high-torque, lightweight electric motors, do not rely on fossil fuels for propulsion. This eliminates the combustion of jet fuel, which releases CO2 and other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, soot, and vapour trails that contribute to global warming and air pollution. By switching to electric aircraft, the aviation industry could reduce its annual emissions by up to 93%, with per-passenger emissions decreasing significantly as well.
In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, electric aircraft can improve air quality by minimising nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate emissions. NOx emissions have been linked to 95% of the negative impacts on air quality, and they have strong warming effects that contribute to climate change. By reducing these emissions, electric aircraft can mitigate the health risks faced by communities near airports, such as respiratory issues and other problems associated with poor air quality.
To support the integration of electric aircraft, infrastructure development, government collaboration, and technological advancements are crucial. This includes the establishment of a robust charging infrastructure at airports, as well as the continued shift towards renewable energy sources to power these aircraft sustainably. Additionally, the development of hybrid aircraft that combine electric and gas-based propulsion technologies can be an intermediate step to reduce the environmental impact of longer flights and larger airplanes.
While electric aircraft hold great potential, it is important to acknowledge that they will require significant funding to become operational in the mid-2030s. Nevertheless, with the right support and investments, electric aircraft operations can play a pivotal role in reducing airplane pollution and mitigating the aviation industry's contribution to climate change.
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Reducing corporate travel
The WWF is working with the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation (ICSA), a network of non-profit organizations, to reduce pollution from aviation. The WWF is also working with airlines to set science-based carbon targets and develop programs that explore innovative alternatives to business travel.
Businesses can reduce their carbon footprint by encouraging employees to opt for alternative means of travel. Trains and coaches are the most environmentally friendly modes of travel, followed by driving with passengers. Even in cases where flying is the only option, individuals can use carbon footprint calculators to offset their carbon emissions.
To reduce aviation's climate impact, the use of clean fuels such as e-kerosene and e-fuels is being explored. These fuels can significantly reduce emissions from the aviation sector. However, they require large amounts of renewable energy and their effectiveness depends on the source of the CO2 used in production.
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Clean fuels
Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, driving global climate change. Air travel is the most carbon-intensive activity an individual can participate in. As more people take to the skies, scientists project that without advances in airplane efficiency and industry-wide regulations, commercial aviation emissions could triple by 2050.
One way to reduce aviation's impact on the climate is to use clean fuels. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) are one such option. SAFs are produced from renewable and waste feedstocks, including food waste, animal manure, and other wastes with high water content. SAFs can also be made from carbon-rich waste gases, where waste carbon monoxide is captured and upgraded with bacteria into ethanol for easy conversion into "alcohol-to-jet" SAF. SAFs can also be derived from photosynthetic algae, non-food crops, forest residues, and jatropha oil, which is a non-food oil used as a biofuel. SAFs contain fewer aromatic components, which enables them to burn cleaner in aircraft engines, resulting in lower emissions of harmful compounds around airports during takeoff and landing.
Another potential source of clean fuel is e-fuels, such as power-to-liquid and e-kerosene. These fuels have the potential to significantly reduce emissions from the aviation sector, but they require enormous amounts of renewable energy. Zero-emissions aircraft, such as hydrogen or electric planes, could also help decrease aviation emissions for shorter ranges, but they will need significant funding to become operational in the mid-2030s.
To promote the use of clean fuels, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge was announced in 2021, aiming to expand domestic consumption of SAFs to 3 billion gallons in 2030 and 35 billion gallons in 2050 while achieving at least a 50% reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions. Many airlines have signed agreements with SAF producers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collects renewable fuel data, showing that consumption of SAFs is increasing year over year.
In addition to these efforts, individuals can also play a role in reducing aviation emissions by cutting down on air travel or choosing alternative modes of transportation when possible.
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Industry-wide regulations
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the specialized agency of the United Nations, has taken a leading role in developing global standards and regulations for international aviation, including measures to address pollution. In 2016, ICAO made a historic agreement, known as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). This scheme, the
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Carbon targets
Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, and if the sector were a country, it would be one of the top 10 carbon-polluting nations. While aviation only accounts for around 2-2.5% of global CO2 emissions, its overall contribution to climate change is higher. This is because, in addition to CO2, aircraft emit other pollutants and gases that have a warming effect on the climate.
The WWF is a member of the International Coalition for Sustainable Aviation (ICSA), which works with policymakers and industry leaders to develop policies to cut aviation's global climate footprint. They are also working with airlines to set carbon targets based on science and explore innovative alternatives to business travel.
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has been working on solutions to address international aviation’s environmental impacts for over two decades. Their approach includes market-based measures, stronger efficiency improvements, and alternative fuels. They also support the use of sustainable lower-carbon alternative fuels and investments in emissions offsets within or outside of the aviation sector.
The Paris Agreement calls on all states to adopt "economy-wide" emission reduction targets, which includes the aviation sector. The EU's 2030 target includes outbound aviation emissions, and other jurisdictions are encouraged to follow suit. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is working with governments and organizations to provide capacity-building support to help nations participate in their programs.
Aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus are also taking steps to meet CO2 emission requirements. By 2020, the average new aircraft was estimated to outperform the standard by approximately 10%. Additionally, the EPA has set CO2 emission standards for US aircraft under the Clean Air Act, which are enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration.
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Frequently asked questions
Airplane pollution is primarily caused by the burning of fossil fuels, which releases CO2 emissions and other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, soot, and water vapour trails. In addition, de-icing fluids used on planes and at airports can pollute water bodies, and aircraft engines emit ultrafine particles that can have negative health impacts.
There are several initiatives and efforts underway to reduce airplane pollution. These include the development of more fuel-efficient aircraft, the adoption of sustainable alternative fuels, and the implementation of policies and measures to reduce the aviation industry's emissions. Individuals can also contribute by reducing the amount they fly, opting for more climate-friendly travel options, and supporting organizations working towards sustainable aviation.
Electric aircraft, such as hydrogen or electric planes, have the potential to significantly reduce emissions, especially for shorter ranges. E-fuels like power-to-liquid and e-kerosene are also being explored as lower-carbon alternatives. While these technologies require significant investment and time to become widely adopted, they hold promise for a more sustainable aviation industry.
