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.
• Q: Are new liquid airline fuels good climate policy? A: Pigs might fly.
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2024-08-27/q-are-new-liquid-airline-fuels-good-climate-policy-a-pigs-might-fly/
• Australia bets on SAF to decarbonise crucial aviation industry
https://carbon-pulse.com/316307/
• Australia a ‘hotspot’ for SAF feedstock, but will struggle to keep it onshore, senate committee hears
https://carbon-pulse.com/317119/
• Boeing Invests in Australian Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production
https://boeing.mediaroom.com/Boeing-Invests-In-Australian-SAF-Production
• Sustainable aviation fuel: Not a panacea, but likely helpful if key issues are resolved
https://ieefa.org/resources/sustainable-aviation-fuel-not-panacea-likely-helpful-if-key-issues-are-resolved
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate
https://bifa.org/2024/08/01/sustainable-aviation-fuel-mandate/
• Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Market is Projected to Reach $ 37.9 Billion by 2032
https://timestech.in/sustainable-aviation-fuel-saf-market-is-projected-to-reach-37-9-billion-by-2032/
• SAF85 Technical Brief: Aviation Sector
https://www.weforum.org/publications/saf85-technical-brief-aviation-sector/
• Biden-Harris Administration Announces Nearly $300 Million in Awards for Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Technologies as part of Investing in America Agenda
https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearly-300-million-awards-sustainable-aviation-fuels
• Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, Sustainable Aviation is Taking Off in Washington State
https://larsen.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2918
• FAA allocates $291m to propel sustainable jet fuel adoption
https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/faa-allocates-291m-to-propel-sustainable-jet-fuel-adoption/50347/
• FAA Awards $291 Million for Projects Decarbonising Aviation
https://futuretransport-news.com/faa-awards-291-million-for-projects-decarbonising-aviation/
• An introduction to CORSIA eligible fuels: What are they and why are they relevant to for CORSIA?
https://www.hfw.com/insights/an-introduction-to-corsia-eligible-fuels-what-are-they-and-why-are-they-relevant-for-corsia/
• The Future Of Aviation Is Now
https://safmagazine.com/articles/the-future-of-aviation-is-now
• Will sustainable aviation fuels take off?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg64pwxzln4o
• Despite new incentives, sustainable aviation fuel rollout faces steep challenges
https://trellis.net/article/despite-new-incentives-sustainable-aviation-fuel-rollout-faces-steep-challenges/
E-FUEL
Manufacturing eFuel is an inefficient use of renewable electricity. Aviation’s reliance on eFuels in the long term — to reach net zero 2050 — could require 9% of global renewable electricity in 2050. Demand for huge quantities of renewables for eFuels would deprive all other sectors needing renewables to decarbonise.
• Oxford University Spinoff Reveals Synthetic Fuel Plant That Could Revolutionize Aviation
https://carboncredits.com/oxford-university-spinoff-reveals-synthetic-fuel-plant-that-could-revolutionize-aviation/
… 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
• A Realistic Path to Net-Zero Emissions for Commercial Aviation
https://www.bain.com/insights/a-realistic-path-to-net-zero-emissions-for-commercial-aviation
… growth in flights
PRIVATE JETS
• Starbucks new boss under fire for 1,000-mile commute
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3e0ljnllo
INDUSTRY GROWTH
• Aircraft sales during climate crisis
https://safe-landing.org/farnborough-2024/
AIRPORT EXPANSIONS
• Airport expansion is not sustainable
https://www.galba.uk/news-updates/airport-expansion-is-not-sustainable/
• London City Airport will test the Government’s commitment to the climate
https://neweconomics.org/2024/08/london-city-airport-will-test-the-governments-commitment-to-the-climate
• London City airport expansion given green light by ministers
https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/19/london-city-airport-expansion-green-light-ministers
FREQUENT FLYERS
• Affluent Norway has third highest per-capita domestic flight emissions
https://www.theguardian.com/news/article/2024/aug/16/affluent-norway-has-third-highest-per-capita-domestic-flight-emissions
TOURISM
• How it all went wrong for tourism
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/tourism-why-it-went-wrong/index.html
… greenwashing
• 100% “SAF” Flight Ad Ban Shows it to be a Marketing Gimmick
https://stay-grounded.org/100-saf-flight-ad-ban-shows-it-to-be-a-marketing-gimmick/
• Sustainable Aviation Fuels Are Struggling to Take Off Amid Greenwashing Claims
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09082024/todays-climate-sustainable-aviation-fuel-greenwashing-claims/
• Airlines are investing heavily in sustainable fuels—but critics say they’re just greenwashing
https://www.fastcompany.com/91171070/airlines-are-investing-heavily-in-sustainable-fuels-but-critics-say-theyre-just-greenwashing
• EU faces lawsuits over emissions rules, ‘green’ label for planes
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/eu-faces-lawsuits-over-emissions-rules%2C-%27green%27-label-for-planes/87446666
… non-CO2 emissions
CONTRAILS
• Concerns about contrails impact on climate change raised by new report
https://www.aerospacetestinginternational.com/news/contrail-concerns-raised-by-latest-report.html
• Contrails study adds to aviation climate-impact fears
https://envirotecmagazine.com/2024/08/08/contrails-study-adds-to-aviation-climate-impact-fears/
• Airplane contrails are a tricky, and surprising, contributor to global warming
https://www.space.com/modern-airplane-contrails-impact-global-warming
• Modern airplanes are worse for the environment
https://www.earth.com/news/modern-airplanes-are-worse-for-the-environment/
• When Fuel Efficiency Backfires in the Sky
https://www.environmentenergyleader.com/2024/08/when-fuel-efficiency-backfires-in-the-sky-contrails/
• EU backs new rules for monitoring, reporting aviation emissions from low-carbon fuels, non-CO2 sources
https://carbon-pulse.com/317872/
Measuring emissions
REPORTING
• Air cargo players want ‘cohesion and consistency’ in how aviation reports emissions
https://theloadstar.com/air-cargo-players-want-cohesion-and-consistency-in-how-aviation-reports-emissions/
Reducing emissions
… by marginal tech solutions
AIR SPACE MANAGEMENT
• Will a single European airspace cure air traffic control woes – and cut CO2?
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/aug/17/single-european-airspace-air-traffic-control-delays-co2
… by fiscal measures
FREQUENT FLYER LEVY
• European Frequent Flying Levy Impact Study
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c0WCxRBIqDq8b3e8ICmmAQdcSkTeqCYB/
EUROPEAN ETS
• Greenhouse gas removals must not give aviation a licence to pollute
https://www.aef.org.uk/2024/08/27/aef-urges-caution-over-greenhouse-gas-removals/
• Court ruling on EU carbon airline law dismays U.S.
https://www.reuters.com/article/business/environment/court-ruling-on-eu-carbon-airline-law-dismays-us-idUSTRE7BK1OB/
… by alternate travel modes
RAIL
• Wondering how to get from Brisbane to Melbourne without wrecking the climate? Our transport choices make a huge difference
https://theconversation.com/wondering-how-to-get-from-brisbane-to-melbourne-without-wrecking-the-climate-our-transport-choices-make-a-huge-difference-237396