Newslinks: December 2023

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.

• Aviation Wants Sustainable Fuels. The Problem Is There Isn’t Enough
https://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherfarmbrough/2023/12/05/aviation-wants-sustainable-fuels-the-problem-is-there-isnt-enough/?sh=106e71e6b532

• IATA: 2023’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Rates Were Twice As High As 2022
https://simpleflying.com/iata-saf-production-rates-analysis/

• Cooking oil just fueled a transatlantic flight. But is it a solution or a distraction?
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/sustainable-jet-fuel-aviation-transatlantic-flight

• Limitations to sustainable renewable jet fuels production attributed to cost than energy-water-food resource availability
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-44049-6

• Looking for a Greener Way to Fly
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/looking-for-a-greener-way-to-fly

• Biden administration to release aviation fuel subsidy guidance by end of week – sources
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-administration-release-aviation-fuel-subsidy-guidance-by-end-week-sources-2023-12-11/

• Biden backs ethanol industry on low-emission aviation fuel tax credits
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/biden-backs-ethanol-industry-low-emission-aviation-fuel-tax-credits-2023-12-15/

• GE completes testing sustainable aviation fuel on 10th aircraft engine model
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/ge-completes-testing-sustainable-aviation-fuel-10th-aircraft/story?id=105500118

• Qantas calls on Canberra to back sustainable aviation fuel industry
https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/qantas-calls-on-canberra-to-back-sustainable-aviation-fuel-industry-20231210-p5eqde

• Qantas Airbus A220s Will Transform Australian Regional Flying In 2024
https://simpleflying.com/qantas-airbus-a220s-australian-regional/

• Qantas Group responds to aviation green Paper
https://www.miragenews.com/qantas-group-responds-to-aviation-green-paper-1143741/

• These Major Airlines Just Flew Planes Powered Entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel—So, What’s Next?
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/sustainable-aviation-fuel-emirates-virgin-atlantic

• Can Insurers Help the Aviation Industry Reach Net Zero by 2050?
https://riskandinsurance.com/can-insurers-help-the-aviation-industry-reach-net-zero-by-2050/

• UK firm develops jet fuel made from human poo
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/jet-fuel-from-human-poo

• Implications of preferential access to land and clean energy for Sustainable Aviation Fuels
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969723025044

… 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.

• We Wish Buying Carbon Offsets for Your Flight Helped. It Doesn’t.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/buying-carbon-offsets-for-your-flight-doesnt-help/

… delusional reduction scenarios

• Will guilt-free long-haul flights ever be possible? Here’s what we know
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/the-long-road-to-guilt-free-flying-climate/index.html

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

• International aviation community on track to achieve net-zero emissions
https://www.timesaerospace.aero/news/sustainability/international-aviation-community-on-track-to-achieve-net-zero-emissions

• Carbon removal is needed to achieve net zero but has its own climate risks
https://theconversation.com/carbon-removal-is-needed-to-achieve-net-zero-but-has-its-own-climate-risks-217355

• ICAO sets new aviation emissions goal as greenwashing claims mount
https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2023/12/icao-sets-new-aviation-emissions-goal-as-greenwashing-claims-mount/

• General Aviation will struggle in Low-carbon Future: RAAA
http://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/ga-will-struggle-in-low-carbon-future-raaa

CO2 FOOTPRINT CALCULATIONS

• ICAO and Google to collaborate on improving methodology for calculating flight carbon emissionshttps://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/ICAO-and-Google-to-collaborate-on-improving-methodology-for-calculating-flight-carbon-emissions.aspx

• ICAO, Google To Share Emissions Calculations Know-How
https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/icao-google-share-emissions-calculations-know-how

• As Airlines Face Greenwashing Accusations, Google And IATA Crunch Data
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisagarcia/2023/12/13/as-airlines-face-greenwashing-accusations-google-and-iata-crunch-data/?sh=1487bb487e0b

… growth in flights

PRIVATE JETS

• Private aircraft operators in Jersey could be hit with new carbon tax on flying
https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2023-12-01/private-aircraft-operators-on-jersey-could-be-hit-with-new-carbon-tax-on-flying

• Taylor Swift is the world’s most carbon polluting celebrity
https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/science/environment/2023/12/18/swift-carbon-emissions

… non-CO2 emissions

• Assessment of aviation non-CO2 climate effects warns of trade-off dangers
https://www.greenairnews.com/?p=5121

• With few easy solutions to their climate problem, airlines rethink contrails
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2023/12/18/airplane-contrails-global-warming-tracking/

Reducing emissions by

… grounded travel

RAIL

• Albanese’s high-speed rail body yet to appoint CEO or begin planning any train projects
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/dec/13/anthony-albanese-australia-high-speed-rail-body-project-updates

… personal choice

• The Somerset family travelling to Australia without flying
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-67747272

• This family spent four months travelling to Australia mostly on public transport
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/this-family-spent-four-months-travelling-to-australia-the-hard-way/

• British family arrives in NSW after attempting to travel from England to Australia without flying
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-22/british-family-travel-australia-without-flying-carbon-footprint/103256280

• UK family attempts to travel 16,000km to Australia in three and a half months by land
https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/uk-family-attempts-to-travel-16000km-to-australia-in-three-and-a-half-months-by-land/news-story/7308423c04ef24e51d99e80621fcc0cb

• I used to fly around the world in all-expenses-paid luxury – but I couldn’t face my conscience
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/dec/18/why-i-quit-flying-travel-writer-green-issues

… protest

• Mass civil disobedience at Belgium airports and protests against destructive mega projects in Mexico highlighting aviation as the pinnacle of climate injustice
https://stay-grounded.org/mass-civil-disobedience-at-belgium-airports-and-protests-against-destructive-mega-projects-in-mexico-highlighting-aviation-as-the-pinnacle-of-climate-injustice/

• Demands regarding aviation
https://code-rouge.be/en/our-demands/