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 SAF. Furthermore SAF still creates non-CO2 emissions twice as warming as actual flight CO2 emissions.
• Los Angeles Receives 500,000 Gallons of SAF From Neste
https://aviationsourcenews.com/airport/los-angeles-receives-500000-gallons-of-saf-from-neste/
• ReFuelEU Aviation: T&E’s trilogue recommendations
https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/refueleu-aviation-tes-trilogue-recommendations/
• Climate targets expedite the take-off of sustainable aviation fuels
https://think.ing.com/articles/climate-targets-push-the-take-off-of-sustainable-aviation-fuels
• The new order of business travel
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/11/business-travel-energy-work-sustainable-pandemic/
• Accelerating a climate positive airport now
https://www.internationalairportreview.com/article/180300/accelerating-a-climate-positive-airport-now/
• Study shows full decarbonization of US aviation sector is within grasp
https://phys.org/news/2022-11-full-decarbonization-aviation-sector-grasp.html
• Etihad Airways and World Energy demonstrate the future of aviation with successful net-zero emissions flight based on book & claim
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/etihad-airways-and-world-energy-demonstrate-the-future-of-aviation-with-successful-net-zero-emissions-flight-based-on-book–claim-301679260.html
• Etihad Airways & World Energy join hands to decarbonise aviation
• Tankering in aviation
https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/tankering-in-aviation/
• EU climate plan sacrifices carbon storage and biodiversity for bioenergy
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-04133-1
• World’s first cooking-oil-powered military transporter aircraft just flew successfully
• Revealed: Airlines want £2bn handout to cover cost of ‘green’ fuel
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/virgin-atlantic-ba-easyjet-sustainable-aviation-fuel-handout/
• Honeywell Thinks It Can Cut Aviation’s Carbon Footprint by 80% With New Ethanol Fuel Tech
https://jalopnik.com/honeywell-thinks-it-can-cut-aviation-s-carbon-footprint-1849639672
• Honeywell announces new ethanol-to-jet fuel technology
https://www.reuters.com/business/sustainable-business/honeywell-make-lower-carbon-aviation-fuel-ethanol-2022-10-10/
E-FUELS
Fuels created using Direct Air Capture of CO2, even when created by renewable electricity (that should be prioritised for other sectors), don’t reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases from their current dangerous level.
• Qatar World Cup: Fifa’s carbon neutrality claim ‘misleading and incredibly dangerous’
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63466168.amp
• Air Company: This firm is channeling air to make aviation fuel
https://www.wionews.com/world/air-company-making-air-travel-sustainable-534077
• WPI Researchers Create Method for Making Net-Zero Aviation Fuel
https://www.wpi.edu/news/wpi-researchers-create-method-making-net-zero-aviation-fuel
• The pathways for sustainable aviation e-fuels and incentive schemes
https://medium.com/extantia-capital/the-pathways-for-sustainable-aviation-e-fuels-and-incentive-schemes-3c3f65d49efd
• Air Canada Invests In New Technology To Fight Climate Change
https://simpleflying.com/air-canada-invests-new-technology-fight-climate-change/
HYDROGEN
Hydrogen powered flight is years away, even when created by renewable electricity (that should be prioritised for other sectors), since it requires a re-engineered global jet fleet. It will still create twice the warming as any CO2 avoided, from NOx and contrails.
• World’s first test run of a hydrogen jet engine a success
https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/29/23483889/rolls-royce-easyjet-hydrogen-fuel-jet-engine-test
• Rolls-Royce tests a jet engine running on hydrogen
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63758937
• COP27 needs to put aviation on a path to true-zero emissions
https://www.fastcompany.com/90809524/cop27-needs-to-put-aviation-on-a-path-to-true-zero-emissions
• Europe’s plan to make Zero-Emission Aviation take off
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/STATEMENT_22_6904
• Polluting the sky
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/polluting-the-sky/
ELECTRIC FLIGHT
Battery power deployment is limited to short haul flights and will still create twice the warming as any CO2 avoided, from NOx and contrails.
• Eviation Sells More Alice Electric Aircraft For Underserved Routes
https://cleantechnica.com/2022/10/23/eviation-sells-more-alice-electric-aircraft-for-underserved-routes/
… delusional reduction pathways
“CLIMATE NEUTRAL” AVIATION
• Towards True Climate Neutrality for Global Aviation: A Negative Emissions Fund for Airlines
https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/11/505/htm
“JET ZERO”
• Aviation calls on UK government to subsidise ‘Jet Zero’ push
https://www.ft.com/content/9a3ed7af-9637-4c03-bbc9-f1d8dcefe2c7
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.
• Australia Post, Woodside Energy to offset carbon footprint through sustainable aviation fuel investment
https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/australia-post-woodside-energy-to-offset-carbon-footprint-through-sustainable-aviation-fuel-investment-20221110-p5bx7f.html
• I Shouldn’t Have to Pay to Fly With a Clean Conscience
https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2022/11/08/i-shouldnt-have-to-pay-to-fly-with-a-clean-conscience/
• You could opt to pay extra on your next flight to help the planet. But is it a waste of money?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2022/11/17/carbon-credits-flights-claim-offset-emissions-do-they-work/10707844002/
• “Full of red flags” – Real Zero Europe campaigners slam EU carbon removal proposal
https://www.ciel.org/news/real-zero-europe/
NET ZERO 2050
The Net Zero 2050 flightpath allows ongoing emissions out to 2050 and beyond, and has a less than 50:50 chance of preventing warming of 2ºC.
• Global freight industry grapples with carbon emissions
https://african.business/2022/11/trade-investment/global-freight-industry-grapples-with-carbon-emissions/
• Delta thinks airline carbon emissions could peak by 2025
https://qz.com/delta-thinks-airline-carbon-emissions-could-peak-by-202-1849784433
… infrastructure growth
NEW AIRPORT RUNWAYS
• Brimbank council ‘disappointed’ by airport master plan approval
• Zambia Airports Corporation urged to compensate displaced farmers
https://frontlineszambia.com/archives/39800
… demand growth
• Can the growth in aviation be reconciled with a 2°C target for climate change?
https://www.academia.edu/34192855/Can_the_growth_in_aviation_be_reconciled_with_a_2_C_target_for_climate_change?email_work_card=title
FREQUENT FLYERS
• Enormous emissions gap between top 1% and poorest, study highlights
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/01/polluting-elite-enormous-carbon-dioxide-emissions-gap-between-poorest-autonomy-study
PRIVATE JETS
• The Man Who Loves a High: A Rs 646 crore private plane is the latest addition to Elon Musk’s fleet of jets
https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/elon-musk-new-private-jet-gulfstream-g700-11563321.html
• How many private jets were at COP27?
https://www.bbc.com/news/63544995
… greenwashing
• Delta and other firms are struggling to meet sky-high climate pledges
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/11/05/delta-climate-pledges-corporations/
• UN experts demand crackdown on greenwashing of net zero pledges
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/08/un-experts-demand-crackdown-on-greenwashing-of-net-zero-pledges-cop27
Stopping emissions by
… demand reduction
PROTEST
• Activists out in force across Europe
https://thewest.com.au/news/environment/activists-out-in-force-across-europe-c-8770424
• Climate activists swarm private jets at Amsterdam airport to protest pollution
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/05/climate-protesters-swarm-amsterdams-schiphol-airport-.html
• Climate activists target private jet airports and demand ban at Cop27
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/10/climate-activists-target-private-jet-airports-and-demand-ban-at-cop27
• Activists ground private jets at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport
https://stay-grounded.org/activists-ground-private-jets-at-amsterdams-schiphol-airport/
• Hundreds of climate activists stormed Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and blocked private jets on the runway
https://fortune.com/2022/11/07/hundreds-climate-activists-storm-amsterdam-schiphol-airport-block-private-jets-runway/
• Climate Activists, Including Scientists, Are Arrested in Protests at Private Airports
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/us/private-jets-climate-protests-airport.html
• Billionaires Tears: Will Climate Protestors Cancel The $28 Billion Private Jet Business?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2022/11/16/will-climate-protestors-cancel-the-28-billion-private-jet-business/
• Climate activists target 13 London offices over fossil fuels ties
https://drillordrop.com/2022/11/21/climate-activists-target-13-london-offices-over-fossil-fuels-ties/
• Brace for impact. International aviation Net Zero 2050 flightpath crashes in Melbourne.
http://www.climatecodered.org/2022/11/brace-for-impact-international-aviation.html
• Climate Protesters Are Throwing Soup at Art. A Brooklyn Psychologist Is Behind It
https://time.com/6234840/art-climate-protests-margaret-klein-salamon/
• Climate activists glue themselves to runway at Berlin airport
https://airlinergs.com/climate-activists-glue-themselves-to-runway-at-berlin-airport/
• Activists Or Terrorists: Protestors Shut Down Airport
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelgoldstein/2022/11/27/when-does-climate-activism-become-climate-terrorism/?sh=5b0e262efeaf
LEGAL APPEALS
• Bristol Airport court case is first test for Rishi Sunak’s green credentials
https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/opinion-bristol-airport-court-case-7807129
• Environmental groups suing the Albanian authorities for the illegal construction of the Vlora airport
https://ppnea.org/press-release-environmental-groups-suing-the-albanian-authorities-for-the-illegal-construction-of-the-vlora-airport/
BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
• These Americans Quit Flying for the Planet
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/these-americans-quit-flying-planet
• Airbus and Climate Change
https://qchenevier.github.io/huma/airbus-and-climate-change
REGULATION
• More aggressive short-term climate goals needed in aviation sector, say NDP, climate activists
https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2022/11/28/more-aggressive-short-term-climate-goals-needed-in-aviation-sector-say-ndp-climate-activists/356973/
FISCAL MEASURES
Fiscal measures including taxes will not cut aviation emissions anywhere near fast enough.
• Taxation is a blunt instrument, IATA chief Willie Walsh says: ‘The carrot is far more effective than the stick’
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/11/07/taxation-is-a-blunt-instrument-iata-chief-willie-walsh-says.html
• Taxing kerosene on flights could raise £6.7 billion a year for the Treasury
• Virgin Atlantic withdraws support for Heathrow third runway
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/nov/21/virgin-atlantic-heathrow-third-runway-shai-weiss-landing-charges
BANNING AIR MILES
• Should we get rid of air miles for climate change?
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20221122-should-we-get-rid-of-air-miles-for-climate-change
FLIGHT SHAMING
• Customers Consider Canceling Private Jet Orders As Flight Shaming Escalates
https://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2022/11/04/customers-consider-canceling-private-jet-orders-as-flight-shaming-escalates/?sh=550313ae1879
… travel alternatives
RAIL
• Australians turn to interstate train travel amid soaring domestic air fares heading into holiday peak
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/nov/29/australians-turn-to-interstate-train-travel-amid-soaring-domestic-air-fares-heading-into-holiday-peak
