Ongoing emissions from…
… investor protections
LEGAL OBSTACLES
• Investor-state disputes threaten the global green energy transition
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abo4637
• Treaties protecting fossil fuel investors could jeopardize global efforts to save the climate, and cost billions
https://phys.org/news/2022-05-treaties-fossil-fuel-investors-jeopardize.html
… greenwashing
“SUSTAINABLE” AVIATION
• United Airlines environmental commitment
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/company/global-citizenship/environment.html
• EasyJet Sets New Goal To Cut Emissions By 35% By 2035
https://simpleflying.com/easyjet-cut-emissions-35-percent/
• Major boost for sustainable aviation research
https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/news-2022/major-boost-for-sustainable-aviation-research
‘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.
• Air travellers face higher fares over climate change charges
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/transport-and-tourism/air-travellers-face-higher-fares-over-climate-change-charges-1.4868497
• Stakeholders Urge Congress to Pass Sustainable Skies Act
https://www.aviationtoday.com/2022/05/03/sustainable-skies-act/
• It worked with cigarettes. Let’s ban ads for climate-wrecking products
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433851-200-it-worked-with-cigarettes-lets-ban-ads-for-climate-wrecking-products/#ixzz7SPRl2jJS
• Avfuel expands sustainable aviation fuel availability at KMRY
https://www.canadianbiomassmagazine.ca/avfuel-expands-sustainable-aviation-fuel-availability-at-kmry/
• Air France Halves CO2 Emissions On Two Flights For SkyTeam Sustainability Challenge
https://simpleflying.com/air-france-halves-co2-emissions-skyteam-sustainability-challenge/
HYDROGEN FUEL
Burning hydrogen fuel still creates non-CO2 emissions twice as warming as avoided flight CO2 emissions, and generating enough CO2 emissions-free hydrogen will use more than all the renewable electricity currently generated.
• Hydrogen Infrastructure Challenges Rival Aircraft Tech Hurdles
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2022-05-04/hydrogen-infrastructure-challenges-rival-aircraft-tech-hurdles
OFFSETTING
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.
• We’re making history by making our carbon history
https://www.businesstravelnews.com/sponsored/united-airlines/carbon-offset
• EasyJet’s greenwash adverts under scrutiny
https://www.badverts.org/latest/easyjets-greenwash-adverts-under-scrutiny
NET ZERO 2050 DELUSION
• Travel without a footprint: Sustainability is the need of the hour, and more so when it comes to travel
https://www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/travel-without-a-footprint-sustainability-is-the-need-of-the-hour-and-more-so-when-it-comes-to-travel/2508863/
• What is the future for net zero shipping and aviation? EAC explores with Ministers
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/62/environmental-audit-committee/news/170769/what-is-the-future-for-net-zero-shipping-and-aviation-eac-explores-with-ministers/
• UK Jet Zero: Flying Aviation Workers into Danger
https://safe-landing.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Safe-Landing-UK-Jet-Zero-Response.pdf
• Johnson’s ‘jet zero’ plan unrealistic and may make UK miss CO2 targets – report
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/16/boris-johnson-jet-zero-plan-unrealistic-co2-targets-report
• Business flights are in trouble in the world of net zero
https://www.ft.com/content/8190b798-c015-4c3c-8a34-b889524f668a
… non-CO2 emissions
• CO2 emissions just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ for the climate cost of air travel
https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/05/04/co2-emissions-just-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-for-the-climate-cost-of-air-travel
… demand growth
• Bristol mayor flies nine hours for TED climate conference
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-61596817
• Climate change: Airlines miss all but one target – report
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-61384377.amp
POST COVID EXPANSION
• Business class travel helps post-pandemic airline sales take off
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/06/business-class-travel-helps-post-pandemic-airline-sales-take-off?
• How long-haul travel will change post-Covid
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220513-how-long-haul-travel-will-change-post-covid
• Bucking the trend: Is there a future for ultra-long-haul flights in a net-zero carbon world?
https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/2022/05/17/ultra-long-haul-flights-net-zero/
• Commercial Aviation Industry Deserves Blame for Rising Emissions
https://www.chronline.com/stories/letter-to-the-editor-commercial-aviation-industry-deserves-blame-for-rising-emissions,294505
AIRPORT EXPANSIONS
• Environmental Impact of Heathrow
https://hacan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/150121-Environmental-Impact-of-Heathrow.pdf
PRIVATE JETS
• The new jet set – why private plane usage has soared
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61391638
Stopping emissions by
… demand reduction
• What if we all stopped flying
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220519-what-if-we-all-stopped-flying
• Common destination — report
https://reframeaviation.stay-grounded.org
• Net zero by 2050 will hit a major timing problem technology can’t solve. We need to talk about cutting consumption
https://theconversation.com/net-zero-by-2050-will-hit-a-major-timing-problem-technology-cant-solve-we-need-to-talk-about-cutting-consumption-181951
• Will Canada finally stem rising aviation emissions in 2022?
https://davidsuzuki.org/story/will-canada-finally-stem-rising-aviation-emissions-in-2022/
• Zero Altitude: How going flight-free can help save the planet – and change how you see the world
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/sustainable-travel/zero-altitude-flight-free-travel-book-b2087166.html
• Why I became the UK’s first travel editor to swear off flying
https://www.independent.co.uk/independentpremium/editors-letters/zero-altitude-flight-free-travel-editor-b2087363.html
… opposing airport expansion
• New Melbourne runway poses risks to health and childhood development, report says
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/14/new-melbourne-runway-poses-risks-to-health-and-childhood-development-report-says
• Supreme Court halts construction of multi-billion-dollar Nijgadh airport
https://kathmandupost.com/money/2022/05/26/supreme-court-halts-construction-of-multi-billion-dollar-nijgadh-airport
• Residents Up In Arms Against Calicut Airport Expansion
https://todaysnewsheadline.com/index.php/2022/05/18/residents-up-in-arms-against-calicut-airport-expansion/
• Stop airport expansions
https://neweconomics.org/campaigns/stop-airport-expansions