Ongoing emissions from
… greenwashed fuels and engines
‘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.
• Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways to partner on new Australian SAF production project
https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=7026
• Sustainable aviation fuels: how do we put the SAFety in SAF?
https://www.britsafe.org/safety-management/2025/sustainable-aviation-fuels-how-do-we-put-the-safety-in-saf
• Lufthansa Cargo’s most important measures for CO2 reduction
https://payloadasia.com/2025/04/lufthansa-cargo-most-important-measures-co2-reduction/
• Microsoft backs SAF for Scope 3 business travel emissions in agreements with IAG and FEG
https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=7044
• Key Risks and Opportunities in Using Sustainable Aviation Fuels
https://climateadaptationplatform.com/key-risks-and-opportunities-in-using-sustainable-aviation-fuels/
• Why biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels are an investment opportunity
https://www.environmental-finance.com/content/analysis/why-biofuels-and-sustainable-aviation-fuels-are-an-investment-opportunity.html
• Will Flying Be Only for the Privileged Few?
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/international-issues/will-flying-be-only-for-the-privileged-few/
• Neste started producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its renewables refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands
https://www.neste.com/news/neste-started-producing-sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf-at-its-renewables-refinery-in-rotterdam-the-netherlands
• Microsoft and IAG Extend SAF Deal to Slash 113,000 Tonnes of Scope 3 Emissions
https://carboncredits.com/microsoft-and-iag-extend-saf-deal-to-slash-113000-tonnes-of-scope-3-emissions/
• Vertimass and Partners to Pilot Converting Green Hydrogen and CO2 Into SAF Through Danish Government Award
https://fuelcellsworks.com/news/vertimass-and-partners-to-pilot-converting-green-hydrogen-and-co2-into-saf-through-danish-government-award
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Another Driver for Future Crop Use
https://www.croplife.com/editorial/sustainable-aviation-fuel-another-driver-for-future-crop-use/
• Decarbonising helicopters
https://www.airbus.com/en/sustainability/our-approach-to-sustainability/decarbonisation/decarbonising-helicopters
• Technip Energies wins contract for sustainable aviation fuel project engineering in Australia
https://energynews.pro/en/technip-energies-wins-contract-for-sustainable-aviation-fuel-project-engineering-in-australia/
• Is SAF taking flight?
https://www.slaughterandmay.com/insights/new-insights/is-saf-taking-flight/
• Sustainable aviation fuel explained
https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/260177/sustainable-aviation-fuel-explained/
E-FUEL
• Airline fuel breakthrough hailed – but experts voice concern
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/author/evrim-yazgin
• Can Scientists Save the World?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00256gj
DIRECT CARBON CAPTURE
• Blue-sky thinking: Can carbon removal help clean up corporate travel?
https://www.businesstravelnewseurope.com/Management/can-carbon-removal-reduce-business-travels-environmental-impact
HYDROGEN
• Why Airbus Pumped the Brakes on its Hydrogen Plans
https://flightplan.forecastinternational.com/2025/04/24/why-airbus-pumped-the-brakes-on-its-hydrogen-plans/
• Why Airbus Pumped the Brakes on its Hydrogen Plans
https://propnewstime.com/getdetailsStories/MTc1MjE=/aviation-s-clean-take-off-how-the-industry-is-charting-a-greener-course-this-earth-day
… 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
• The myth of net-zero aviation
https://www.railengineer.co.uk/the-myth-of-net-zero-aviation/
• IATA airlines chief warns aviation industry falling behind on net zero
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/iata-airlines-chief-warns-aviation-industry-falling-behind-net-zero-2025-04-02/
• Aviation’s carbon emissions: IATA and A4E appear to differ over 2050 net zero
https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/aviations-carbon-emissions-iata-and-a4e-appear-to-differ-over-2050-net-zero-714675
• A net zero flight plan for UK domestic aviation
https://www.ricardo.com/en/news-and-insights/industry-insights/a-net-zero-flight-plan-for-uk-domestic-aviation
• Royal Mail Slashes Domestic Flights in Half on Its Path to Achieve Net-Zero by 2040
https://www.sustainabletimes.co.uk/post/royal-mail-slashes-domestic-flights-in-half-on-its-path-to-achieve-net-zero-by-2040
• Boeing’s Financial Gains and Green Goals Take Flight in Q1 2025
https://carboncredits.com/boeing-lifts-off-financial-gains-and-green-net-zero-goals-take-flight-in-q1-2025/
EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEMES
• UK Emissions Trading Scheme Charges relating to aviation
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-greenhouse-gas-emissions-charging-scheme-2021/environment-agency-greenhouse-gas-emissions-charges-for-1-april-2025-to-31-march-2026#part-3-charges-relating-to-aviation
• EU Cuts Emissions in Carbon-Intensive Sectors by 50% Since 2005
https://esgnews.com/eu-cuts-emissions-in-carbon-intensive-sectors-by-50-since-2005/
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
• How Are Airlines Trying To Reduce Their Carbon Footprint?
https://travelradar.aero/how-are-airlines-trying-to-reduce-their-carbon-footprint/
• Firms with ‘stringent’ targets cut air travel emissions more quickly
https://www.businesstravelnewseurope.com/Air-Travel/Firms-with-stringent-targets-cut-air-travel-emissions-more-quickly
• Flying And Climate Change: How Travelers Can Help
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lealane/2025/04/24/flying-and-climate-change-how-travelers-can-help/
• How airlines Are Building a Greener Future Through Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Electric Flight, and Next-Generation Aircraft Technology
https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/how-boeing-and-american-delta-southwest-alaska-westjet-air-canada-lufthansa-british-airways-klm-royal-dutch-ryanair-are-building-a-greener-future-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-electric/
• Carbon Emission: NCAA, Lufthansa Charge Operators To Promote Eco-Friendly Practices
… industry growth
FLIGHTS
• Dutch aviation hits record CO2 emissions as industrial output rises again
https://nltimes.nl/2025/04/07/dutch-aviation-hits-record-co2-emissions-industrial-output-rises
• Dutch companies emitting more CO2 for the first time in years; Record high for aviation
https://nltimes.nl/2025/04/07/dutch-companies-emitting-co2-first-time-years-record-high-aviation
• European airlines’ emissions on course to exceed pre-pandemic levels
https://www.carbonbrief.org/daily-brief/european-airlines-emissions-on-course-to-exceed-pre-pandemic-levels/
• State of European Transport 2025: Aviation
https://www.transportenvironment.org/state-of-european-transport/state-of-transport-2025/aviation
AIRPORTS
• Luton airport expansion approved by government
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4vg2d9v7no
• Third runway at Heathrow could add extra 4.4m tonnes of CO2 a year
https://www.cieh.org/ehn/environmental-protection/2025/march/third-runway-at-heathrow-could-add-extra-44m-tonnes-of-co2-a-year/
• Does cutting airport slots reduce climate impact? The case of Amsterdam airport
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1361920925001543
DODGING TARGETS
• ICAO “deeply concerned” over proposals to raise global climate finance through international levies on aviation
https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=7169
Reducing emissions by
… demand management
• Climate change: Aviation industry must rethink its sustainability plan
https://www.policycircle.org/environment/climate-change-aviation-industry/
• Current aviation roadmaps are not within planetary boundaries
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/385678022_Current_aviation_roadmaps_are_not_within_planetary_boundarieshttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/385678022_Current_aviation_roadmaps_are_not_within_planetary_boundaries
… public awareness
• Royal Aeronautical Society report on public attitudes on decarbonisation
https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/royal-aeronautical-society-report-on-public-attitudes-on-decarbonisation/
… alternate travel modes
• Corporate travel reduced by a third on 2019 levels despite increased flying by Merck, Bosch and JPMorgan Chase
https://travelsmartcampaign.org/library/corporate-travel-reduced-by-a-third-on-2019-levels-despite-increased-flying-by-merck-bosch-and-jpmorgan-chase/
TOURISM TROUBLES
• US’s $2.36tn tourism business fears ‘Trump slump’ over tariff turmoil
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/15/trump-tariffs-tourism-business
The climate emergency
• Global carbon emissions from energy reached a historic high in 2024
https://gmk.center/en/news/global-carbon-emissions-from-energy-reached-a-historic-high-in-2024/
• Abrupt sea level rise and Earth’s gradual pole shift reveal permanent hydrological regime changes in the 21st century
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq6529
