Page 62 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2017 publication

62 Summer 2017 European Energy Innovation
AVIATION EMISSIONS
Aviation emissions:
Looking towards the long-term
By Michael Gill (pictured), Executive Director, Air Transport Action Group
The end of 2016 witnessed a
major milestone in aviation’s transport.
climate action plan. At
the 39th Assembly of the
International Civil Aviation Organization aviation’s goal is to halve net CO2
(ICAO), the UN body responsible for
aviation, member states agreed to
introduce an economic mechanism to
address aviation’s carbon emissions
growth. This scheme, the Carbon
Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for
International Aviation (CORSIA) is an
historic development which will allow
aviation to meet its medium-term goal
of carbon-neutral growth.
In the years leading up to 2020,
when the scheme will formally begin
operating, the industry will be focusing
on capacity building, working with
ICAO to make sure that airlines and
governments worldwide are prepared
for its implementation, as well as
encouraging additional States to sign
up for the initial voluntary stages of
the scheme, which run from 2021 to
2027. So far, 66 States have agreed
to participate in the voluntary stages.
We hope that number increases. But
with those volunteers and the states
which will join the scheme in its second, algae or even used cooking oil. We now
mandatory, phase, already over 80% of
aviation’s emissions growth after 2020
will be covered.
However, our work certainly does
not finish in 2020. Although CORSIA
is undoubtedly a major achievement,
its role is merely to ensure that
aviation’s growth in emissions is
stabilised, whilst other measures are
gradually put in place to reduce the
overall environmental impact of air
Looking towards the long-term,
emissions by 2050, compared to
2005 levels. This will be a significant
challenge. It is achievable, but will
require substantial commitment
and investment from the industry,
governments and international
institutions.
To meet this goal, the industry must
focus on two key areas: developing
new, even more efficient aircraft
technology and commercialising
sustainable alternative fuel.
Sustainable alternative fuels have the
potential to reduce aviation’s carbon
emissions drastically. These fuels can
be up to 80% less carbon intensive
over the course of their lifecycle
when compared to traditional fossil-
based jet fuel. Alternative fuels can
be synthesised using a wide range of
different feedstocks, from sustainable
crops (which do not compete for land
with food growing), to municipal waste,
have five officially approved ‘pathways’,
or methods by which the fuel can be
produced, providing the industry and
its fuel supplier partners with a high
degree of flexibility.
The drive towards the enhanced use of
sustainable alternative fuels has been
increasing rapidly over the course
of the last few years. Since the first
commercial flight using alternative fuel
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu