Reducing rather than stopping emissions is not an excuse to keep flying.
Ongoing emissions from…
Demand growth
COVID DE-GROWTH
• EU ETS covered emissions record biggest drop in six years
https://balkangreenenergynews.com/eu-ets-covered-emissions-record-biggest-drop-in-six-years/
SECTOR COMPARISON
• British Airways nearly as polluting as all vans on UK roads combined, data shows
https://www.desmog.co.uk/2021/03/30/british-airways-nearly-polluting-all-vans-uk-roads-data-shows
• UK to include aviation in carbon emissions targets
https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/uk-to-include-aviation-in-carbon-emissions-targets-558310
• UK’s sixth Carbon Budget incorporates aviation emissions
http://www.biomassmagazine.com/articles/17949/ukundefineds-sixth-carbon-budget-incorporates-aviation-emissions
FREQUENT FLYERS
• Tiny minorities take most flights in countries with highest air travel emissions, report says
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/flying-air-travel-emissions-b1824604.html
Stopping emissions through…
Demand reduction
FLIGHT TAXES
• Call for escalating aviation pricing system to tackle ‘elite minority of frequent flyers’
https://www.newstalk.com/news/call-for-escalating-aviation-pricing-system-to-tackle-elite-minority-of-frequent-flyers-1186708
• Sweden to increase airport fees for high-polluting planes
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/23/sweden-to-increase-airport-fees-for-high-polluting-planes
• Sweden to increase airport fees for less fuel efficient planes; danger of promoting bio jet fuels
https://www.airportwatch.org.uk/2021/03/sweden-to-increase-airport-fees-for-less-fuel-efficient-planes-danger-of-promoting-bio-jet-fuels/
• Fuelling a European recovery: Time to end aviation fuel tax exemption
https://www.euractiv.com/section/aviation/opinion/fuelling-a-european-recovery-time-to-end-aviation-fuel-tax-exemption/
ALTERNATIVES TO FLIGHT
• To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Germany will swap planes for trains on domestic routes
https://www.afar.com/magazine/german-airlines-and-rail-company-agree-to-reduce-domestic-flights
• German airlines, rail company aim to reduce domestic flights
https://apnews.com/article/travel-air-travel-germany-travel-airlines-2af6ca40712b05917ed572463f1f3025
• France moves to ban short-haul domestic flights
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56716708
• France moves to ban short-haul flights
https://www.ecowatch.com/france-short-flight-ban-2652504952.html
• France to ban some domestic flights where train available
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/apr/12/france-ban-some-domestic-flights-train-available-macron-climate-convention-mps
• Short-haul flight ban is a good start – now we need to reimagine the modern airport
https://theconversation.com/short-haul-flight-ban-is-a-good-start-now-we-need-to-reimagine-the-modern-airport-159010
Stopping emissions through…
Halting infrastructure expansion
PROTEST
• Her Majesty’s Attorney-General v Tim Crosland: Respondant’s submission
https://planb.earth/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SC-SUBMISSIONS-FINAL.pdf
AIRPORTS
• Should airports be allowed to expand?
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56567182
• London Mayor candidates speak out against Heathrow expansion
https://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/19243645.london-mayor-candidates-speak-heathrow-expansion/
• UK court urged to respect 1.5C climate limit
https://www.desmog.co.uk/2021/04/01/uk-court-heathrow-climate-temperature-paris
• Government urged to halt regional airport expansion after Southampton given green light to extend runway
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/southampton-airport-expansion-approval-b1830148.html
• Plans for expansion of Leeds Bradford airport put on hold
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/apr/06/plans-for-expansion-of-leeds-bradford-airport-put-on-hold
Fuel based reductions
“SUSTAINABLE” AVIATION FUEL (SAF)
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.
• Greener skies: How sustainable aviation fuel could help stem airplane emissions
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/greener-skies-how-sustainable-aviation-fuel-could-help-stem-airplane-emissions
• EU considers applying green jet fuel mandate to all departing flights
https://www.euractiv.com/section/aviation/news/eu-considers-applying-green-jet-fuel-mandate-to-all-departing-flights/
• Southwest Airlines continues its support of sustainable aviation fuel research to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
https://dallasinnovates.com/southwest-airlines-continues-its-support-of-sustainable-aviation-fuel-research-to-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions/
• OUR&D announces $50,000 request for proposals for sustainable aviation fuel research
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ourd-announces-50-000-request-for-proposals-for-sustainable-aviation-fuel-research-301274781.html
• NBAA joins call for performance-based SAF tax credit in Biden infrastructure plan
https://www.aviationpros.com/fbos-tenants/press-release/21217090/national-business-aviation-association-nbaa-nbaa-joins-call-for-performancebased-saf-tax-credit-in-biden-infrastructure-plan
• United Airlines unveils plan to fund more sustainable jet fuel made from trash
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-united-arlns-climate-idUSKBN2C01MC
• Ryanair donates €1.5m to TCD for research on sustainable aviation fuels
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/ryanair-donates-1-5m-to-tcd-for-research-on-sustainable-aviation-fuels-1.4551079
SYN FUELS
• Polytechnique Montréal leads an R&D project with Québec’s support to convert CO2 emissions into aviation fuel
https://sciencebusiness.net/network-updates/polytechnique-montreal-leads-rd-project-quebecs-support-convert-co2-emissions
ELECTRIC BATTERYS
• Wisk’s self-flying electric air taxi on display in Christchurch for first time
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wisks-self-flying-electric-air-taxi-on-display-in-christchurch-for-first-time/Q3FGK73HPOEMHIJPG3VTQLXAHU/
Paper based reductions
OFFSETTING AND NET ZERO GREENWASH
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.
• Non-CO2 related climate effects from flight: Can’t we just walk quietly through the doors?
https://bevarjordforbindelsen.dk/non-co2-related-climate-effects-from-flight-cant-we-just-walk-quietly-through-the-doors/
• Etihad Airways operates Abu Dhabi-Rome ecoFlight with Greenliner 787
https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/aviation-sustainability-and-the-environment-capa-22-apr-2021-558596
• Sustainability in aviation is a tough nut—but it can be cracked
https://fortune.com/2021/04/29/fedex-yale-carbon-capture-neutrality-sustainability/
• Buckle up, airlines are going net-zero
https://grist.org/beacon/buckle-up-airlines-are-going-net-zero/
• VistaJet targets carbon neutrality by 2025
https://www.flightglobal.com/business-aviation/vistajet-targets-carbon-neutrality-by-2025/143497.article
• Alaska Airlines targets ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2040
https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2021/04/21/alaska-airlines-targets-net-zero-carbon-emissions-by-2040/
• Alaska Air touts road map to ‘net zero’ carbon emissions
https://lmtribune.com/business/alaska-air-touts-road-map-to-net-zero-carbon-emissions/article_bb558626-13e0-5e8e-9ece-328f26d3b383.html
