11 Feb '25

Newslinks: January 2025

February 11, 2025

NEWS

Ongoing emissions from

… growth

AIRPORT EXPANSIONS

• Is Catherine King’s third Tullamarine runway approval valid? No, if climate impacts are included
http://www.climatecodered.org/2025/01/is-catherine-kings-third-tullamarine.html

• Brimbank Council lodges application for merits review of Third Runway decision
https://news.brimbank.vic.gov.au/brimbank-council-lodges-application-for-merits-review-of-third-runway-decision/

• GALBA opposes Heathrow expansion
https://www.galba.uk/news-updates/1988/

• UK Poised to Back Heathrow Airport Expansion in Push for Growth
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-20/uk-poised-to-back-heathrow-airport-expansion-in-push-for-growth

• Ed Miliband won’t resign over Heathrow third runway despite environmental concerns
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/ed-miliband-resign-heathrow-third-runway-b2685106.html

• Rachel Reeves says growth ‘trumps’ net zero as Heathrow runway decision looms
https://www.ft.com/content/a83f1cdc-b977-42f7-b37a-b6364f961ef2

• Reeves wrong to put growth before net zero, says major Labour donor
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/01/28/rachel-reeves-wrong-put-growth-before-net-zero-dale-vince/

• Will electric planes and sustainable fuel make Heathrow’s third runway green?
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjdz92v84do

• Farnborough Airport Expansion
https://www.zerocarbonguildford.org/event-details/farnborough-airport-expansion

… reduction barriers

INDUSTRY COSTS

• Europe’s Economy Faces Big Hit from Green Limits on Bizav
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2025-01-29/europes-economy-faces-big-hit-green-limits-bizav

SUPPLY SHORTAGES

• 3 Key Reasons Airlines Feel Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production Is Too Slow
https://simpleflying.com/3-key-reasons-saf-production-too-slow/

• At aviation meeting, ESG takes backseat to jet shortages
https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/aviation-meeting-esg-takes-backseat-jet-shortages-2025-01-17/

• Economists: Price not key to SAF demand
https://agupdate.com/illinoisfarmertoday/news/economists-price-not-key-to-saf-demand/article_29a97bf2-cfda-11ef-bc97-e7c0284af88f.html

… 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.

• A Discussion on the Viability of ‘Sustainable’ Aviation Fuels
https://ips-dc.org/a-discussion-on-the-viability-of-sustainable-aviation-fuels/

• Sustainable aviation fuel study: SAF means ‘Sacrificing Affordable Food’
https://www.farmersadvance.com/story/news/2025/01/08/sustainable-aviation-fuel-study-saf-means-sacrificing-affordable-food/77260775007/

• Australia accelerates aviation decarbonisation with new SAF projects
Australia accelerates aviation decarbonisation with new SAF projects – Australian Manufacturing

• ARENA invests $14.1m in sustainable aviation fuel studies
https://greenreview.com.au/resources/arena-invests-14-1m-in-sustainable-aviation-fuel-studies/

• Airbus & OMV: How Biomass Can Make Aviation Sustainable
https://sustainabilitymag.com/articles/airbus-omv-how-biomass-can-make-aviation-sustainable

• OMV And Airbus Collaborate To Drive Aviation Decarbonization
https://biodieselmagazine.com/articles/omv-and-airbus-collaborate-to-drive-aviation-decarbonization

• Airbus And Austria’s OMV Partner On Sustainable Aviation Fuel
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gauravsharma/2025/01/19/airbus-and-omv-to-partner-on-sustainable-aviation-fuel/

• Boeing’s Big Move: Boosting EU Aviation with Norsk e-Fuel’s SAF
https://carboncredits.com/boeings-big-move-boosting-eu-aviation-with-norsk-e-fuels-saf/

• Turning Plastic Waste Into Sustainable Jet Fuel
https://scitechdaily.com/turning-plastic-waste-into-sustainable-jet-fuel/

• Boeing partners with Norsk e-Fuel to advance SAF production and reduce aviation emissions
https://skiesmag.com/press-releases/boeing-partners-with-norsk-e-fuel-to-advance-saf-production-and-reduce-aviation-emissions/

• Greener flights ahead for UK aviation
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/greener-flights-ahead-for-uk-aviation

• Lower-carbon jet fuel mandate comes into force
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/department-for-transport-airlines-uk-government-b2672279.html

• Oil made from sugarcane could reduce aviation emissions by 50%, says study
https://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/oil-made-from-sugarcane-could-reduce-aviation-emissions-by-50-says-study/

• Carbon-Negative Fuels Pioneer Pathway Energy Debuts with Ultra Negative Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Plans for New SAF Facility on US Gulf Coast
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carbon-negative-fuels-pioneer-pathway-energy-debuts-with-ultra-negative-sustainable-aviation-fuel-and-plans-for-new-saf-facility-on-us-gulf-coast-302329556.html

• Toward sustainable decarbonization of aviation in Latin America
https://news.mit.edu/2025/toward-sustainable-decarbonization-aviation-latin-america-0121

… 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

• Airlines unlikely to ever achieve net zero carbon emissions says Emirates boss
https://stockhead.com.au/news/airlines-unlikely-to-ever-achieve-net-zero-carbon-emissions-says-emirates-boss/

• What is the cheapest route to climate-neutral aviation: carbon capture or new fuels?
https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2025/01/what-is-the-cheapest-route-to-climate-neutral-aviation-carbon-capture-or-new-fuels/

• Jet Zero? Why Net Zero In Aviation Can’t Get Off The Ground
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/jet-zero-why-net-zero-in-aviation-cant-get-off-the-ground-7412141

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.

• Improving Carbon Offsetting Appeals in Online Airplane Ticket Purchasing
https://www.academia.edu/31952323/Improving_Carbon_Offsetting_Appeals_in_Online_Airplane_Ticket_Purchasing_Testing_New_Messages_and_Using_New_Test_Methods

NON-CO2 EMISSIONS

• Solutions exist to curb CO2 emissions, but NOX remains a challenge
https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/domains/environment/eaer/overview-aviation-sector/emissions#solutions-exist-to-curb-co2-emissions-but-nox-remains

Reducing emissions

… with alternative fuels

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen-powered aircraft will not have zero emissions, even if hydrogen is produced from renewable electricity, because it will still emit NOx and generate contrail cirrus that have a higher climate impact than CO2 today. The deployment of “green” hydrogen in aviation would require huge quantities of renewable electricity, which would deprive other sectors needing to decarbonise. Hydrogen will not be viable for medium and long-haul flights before 2050, much too late to tackle the climate emergency.

• Stralis aircraft pioneers hydrogen-electric aviation for a cleaner future
https://worldairnews.co.za/stralis-aircraft-pioneers-hydrogen-electric-aviation-for-a-cleaner-future/

ELECTRIC

• Decarbonising Aviation – Busbars for Electric Aircraft
https://www.ukc.group/decarbonising-aviation-busbars-for-electric-aircraft/

… marginally

• Decarbonising aviation
https://aircargoweek.com/decarbonising-aviation-3/

• Five ways to make aviation more sustainable right now
https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-make-aviation-more-sustainable-right-now-245441

FUEL EFFICIENCY

• Virgin Australia will optimize its fleet to increase capacity and reduce emissions
https://www.aviacionline.com/virgin-australia-will-optimise-its-fleet-to-increase-capacity-and-reduce-emissions

PAINT JOBS

• easyJet’s New Paint Cuts Fuel Use and Emissions
https://ftnnews.com/travel-news/aviation/easyjets-new-paint-cuts-fuel-use-and-emissions/

FLIGHT PATHS

• Planes flying like geese: Inside the Delta sustainability strategy
https://www.postguam.com/business/planes-flying-like-geese-inside-the-delta-sustainability-strategy/article_cdae61d2-d02e-11ef-a18c-ffed4c97a090.html

… through litigation

• Climate litigation: Key risks and liabilities for aviation companies
https://www.wfw.com/articles/climate-litigation-key-risks-and-liabilities-for-aviation-companies/

The climate emergency

• Global Temperatures Will Breach 1.5C Threshold in May, Former NASA Scientist Warns
https://earth.org/global-temperatures-will-breach-1-5c-threshold-in-may-former-nasa-scientist-warns/

• Climate and security risks? Shhh, says the Albanese Government
https://johnmenadue.com/climate-and-security-risks-shhh-says-the-albanese-government/

Mark Carter
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