2 Sep '25

Newslinks: August 2025

September 2, 2025

NEWS

Ongoing emissions from

… greenwashed fuels and engines

• Opportunities in renewable systems for net-zero aviation innovation
https://foreignchatra.com/opportunities-in-renewable-systems-for-net-zero-aviation-innovation/

• Comparison of direct–indirect emissions of conventional and advanced technologies in European aviation
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394518435_Comparison_of_direct-indirect_emissions_of_conventional_and_advanced_technologies_in_European_aviation

‘SUSTAINABLE’ AVIATION FUELS

The aviation industry uses marketing greenwash and accounting tricks to mislead you into thinking that actual flight emissions from ‘Sustainable’ Aviation Fuel (SAF) are a fraction of those from fossil jet fuel. A jet never burns pure SAF, so a common 50:50 blend with fossil jet fuel doubles claimed emissions. And actual flight CO2 emissions are additionally more than claimed, by the amount of CO2 drawn down in making the fuel. Furthermore SAF still creates non-CO2 emissions twice as warming as actual flight CO2 emissions.

• The airline industry’s dirty secret: Clean jet fuel failures
https://www.reuters.com/graphics/AVIATION-SUSTAINABILITY/movadylljpa/

• A comprehensive well-to-wake climate impact assessment of sustainable aviation fuel
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-13445-x

• Opportunities and Challenges arising from European Sustainable Aviation Fuel Regulations: A Case Study Approach
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394973233_Opportunities_and_Challenges_arising_from_European_Sustainable_Aviation_Fuel_Regulations_A_Case_Study_Approach

• Future Challenges for Air Transport
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-99936-9_5

• Airbus and Air France complete inaugural SAF A220 ferry flight
https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2025-08-airbus-and-air-france-complete-inaugural-saf-a220-ferry-flight

• 1st Time: Airbus Just Delivered An A220 Across The Atlantic Using 50% SAF
https://simpleflying.com/airbus-a220-transatlantic-delivery-50-percent-saf-blend/

• Comparison of Top Countries Demand in SAF
https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/blog/AD/comparison-of-top-countries-demand-in-saf

• Addressing the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge: Economic and Environmental Insights from Feedstock Optimization
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c05842

• Implementation of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Surcharge
https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2025/08/01/implementation-of-sustainable-aviation-fuel-surcharge

• Japan Airlines Announces First-Phase Success of World’s First SAF Use and Decarbonization Initiative: Scope 3 Environmental Value Trading
https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/japan-airlines-announces-first-phase-success-of-worlds-first-saf-use-and-decarbonization-initiative-scope-3-environmental-value-trading/

• Pioneering sustainable private aviation at 5 Star jets
https://5starjets.com/company/sustainability/

• Finnair, CN Logistics partner to cut air cargo emissions with SAF
https://www.stattimes.com/air-cargo/finnair-cn-logistics-partner-to-cut-air-cargo-emissions-with-saf-1356110

• Defense Industry Investing In Alternative Aircraft Fuels
https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2025/8/8/defense-industry-investing-in-alternative-aircraft-fuels

• Growing airline engagement in SAF agreements
https://www.iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/growing-airline-engagement-in-saf-agreements/

• Airbus warns Australia is ‘sleepwalking into fuel crisis’
https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/airbus-warns-australia-is-sleepwalking-into-fuel-crisis-20250806-p5mkxj

• Carbon policy and its impact on optimizing large-scale green networks for long-term fuel consumption: A unified approach
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301479725027276

• Pragmatic Assessment of Meeting the 2030 U.S. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Goal
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5392117

• DHL Express, Cathay sign SAF deal
https://asianaviation.com/dhl-express-cathay-sign-saf-deal/

• Aviation Fuel Market Estimated to Reach USD 751.01 Billion by 2032
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aviation-fuel-market-estimated-reach-083000310.html

• Minister O’Brien publishes Ireland’s first Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy Roadmap
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-transport/press-releases/minister-obrien-publishes-irelands-first-sustainable-aviation-fuel-policy-roadmap/

• Pairing food waste and nanocatalysts to reduce carbon emissions in aviation
https://techxplore.com/news/2025-08-pairing-food-nanocatalysts-carbon-emissions.html

• SHEIN & Lufthansa Cargo’s Low CO₂ Freight
https://sustainabilitymag.com/news/a-saf-partnership-shein-lufthansa-cargo-low-co2-freight

• Kintetsu joins Avelia to advance use of sustainable aviation fuel
https://www.airlogisticsinternational.com/content/news/kintetsu-joins-avelia-to-advance-use-of-sustainable-aviation-fuel/

• Powering Progress Together: Delta, Shell, and SAF
https://www.shell.us/about-us/what-we-do/forward/sustainable-aviation-fuel-powering-progress-at-35000-feet.html

DIRECT AIR CAPTURE

• Aviation Industry Turns To CDR In Race To Net Zero By 2050
https://carbonherald.com/aviation-industry-turns-to-cdr-in-race-to-net-zero-by-2050/

HYDROGEN

• Can hydrogen-powered air travel grow within the planetary limits?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550925001654

… growth in flights

TOURISM

• Heatwaves, wildfires and the hot summers that could change how we holiday
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/aug/28/down-to-earth-wildfires-holiday-tourism

• The US tourism slump that never happened
https://www.ft.com/content/49e31013-67eb-4ab0-9b7f-618cf4474496

PASSENGER GROWTH

• NATS Aviation Index 2025: Air passengers care more about flying than the climate
https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/nats-aviation-index-air-passenger-climate/

FLIGHT EMISSIONS GROWTH

• Rising CO2 and Decarbonization Strategies of Aviation in China in the Coming Decade
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.5c01114

AIRPORT GROWTH

• Labour is about to shred its green credentials over Heathrow’s third runway
Labour is about to shred its green credentials over Heathrow’s third runway

FUEL USE GROWTH

• Global aviation fuel use rising in boon to CORSIA carbon credit demand, but oil market awash with supply
https://carbon-pulse.com/425723/

… non-CO2 emissions

CONTRAILS

• How is aviation tackling its contrails of concern?
https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/how-is-aviation-tackling-its-contrails-of-concern/164279.article

• Countries obliged to include aviation contrails in climate plans under Paris Agreement, new legal advice shows
https://www.transportenvironment.org/articles/countries-to-include-contrails-in-climate-plans-legal-advice

• Canadian researchers have an eye on the sky, tracking contrails with cameras
https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/canadian-researchers-have-an-eye-on-the-sky-tracking-contrails-with-cameras/

• Can Google’s AI Stop Aircraft Contrails from Warming Earth?
https://energydigital.com/news/can-googles-ai-stop-aircraft-contrails-from-warming-earth

• Trade-offs in aviation impacts on climate favour non-CO2 mitigation
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09198-2

… delusional scenarios

NET ZERO 2050

Net zero emissions by 2050 allows ongoing emissions and subtracts from them carbon drawdown needed to cool an already dangerously hot planet

• Why aviation’s lofty net-zero ambitions are struggling to take flight
https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2025/08/25/why-aviations-lofty-net-zero-ambitions-are-struggling-to-take-flight/

• Scientists comment on net zero implications of a proposed third runway at London Heathrow Airport.
https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-net-zero-implications-of-heathrow-airports-proposed-plans-for-a-third-runway/

• Is aviation sustainability dead?
https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/is-aviation-sustainability-dead/

• Clear intentions, cloudy path: aviation’s ongoing ESG challenge
https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/clear-intentions-cloudy-path-aviations-ongoing-esg-challenge-2025-08-06/

• Navigating the triad: Economic growth, innovation, and aviation’s role in shaping renewable energy transitions across G20 nations
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960148125018427

• Boeing and Airbus ground green plane projects
https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/companies/article/boeing-and-airbus-ground-green-plane-projects-5gqvgqmmk

CARBON PRICING

• EU could earn €1 trillion by fully taxing aviation, private jets included
https://www.euractiv.com/section/eet/news/eu-could-earn-e1-trillion-by-fully-taxing-aviation-private-jets-included/

• Extending EU ETS to international flights could boost revenues tenfold — study
https://carbon-pulse.com/420839/

• Taxing aviation could fund billions in climate action, but at what cost to the industry?
https://aerospaceglobalnews.com/news/aviation-taxation-billions-climate-cost/

• Lufthansa CEO Warns of Tax Burden on German Aviation – Capacity Is Dropping
https://skift.com/2025/07/17/lufthansa-ceo-warns-of-tax-burden-on-german-aviation-capacity-is-dropping/

• Cutting edge UK aviation companies to share £63 million green fuel boost
https://logistics.org.uk/green-mile-homepage/news-features/12-08-25/cutting-edge-uk-aviation-companies-to-share-63-mil

• Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Certificates
https://www.climateimpact.com/business-solutions/drive-innovation/saf-sustainable-aviation-fuel/

• Report Finds European Tax System Favors Carbon-Intensive Air Travel Over Rail, Undermining Climate Goals
https://earth.org/absurd-report-finds-european-tax-system-favors-carbon-intensive-air-travel-over-rail-undermining-climate-goals/

• Analyzing the performance of emissions trading schemes for aviation carbon mitigation under uncertainty
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-025-06696-8

OFFSETS

When all sectors need to reduce their emissions to zero, the aviation industry buys/offsets the reductions of others in order to grow its own emissions. When the planet is already dangerously hot, offsets steal carbon drawdown needed to cool the planet to excuse further emissions.

• How to improve the global ‘Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation’ (CORSIA)?
https://www.academia.edu/94376277/How_to_improve_the_global_Carbon_Offsetting_and_Reduction_Scheme_for_International_Aviation_CORSIA