Aviation sector aiming for CO2 emissions free Europe by 2050
Share
Europe’s aviation sector today unveiled its flagship sustainability initiative, Destination 2050 – A Route to Net Zero European Aviation.
Driven by a new, independent report, it is said to provide a vision and path for meaningful CO2 emission reduction efforts in Europe and globally.
This follows recent climate commitments announced by the sector last November in the Round Table Report on the Recovery of European Aviation which called upon institutional stakeholders to join the sector in an EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation by the end of 2021 – a call reiterated today.
Building on the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, Destination 2050 sees all flights within and departing the EU, UK and EFTA realising net zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
The ambitious plan and related commitments laid out by Europe’s airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and air navigation service providers shows collective leadership of the European aviation sector to reduce CO2 emissions, with the goal of making leisure and business air travel in Europe, and globally, more sustainable in the long-term.
According to the report, there is an opportunity to reach net zero CO2 emissions by 2050 through a combination of four key measures, aligning European aviation with EU climate goals – subject to securing the required supporting policy and financing framework at EU and national level. These four measures include:
• Improvements in aircraft and engine technologies could achieve emission reductions of 37%
• Using sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) could achieve emission reductions of 34%
• Implementing economic measures could achieve emission reductions of 8%
• Improvements in air traffic management (ATM) and aircraft operations could achieve emission reductions of 6%
The report further assumes an impact on demand due to the above measures, resulting in the net zero CO2 goal.
Nevertheless, European air passenger numbers are projected to grow on average by approximately 1.4% per year between 2018 and 2050 without compromising the sector’s ability to reach net zero CO2 emissions by this point.
According to Europe’s key aviation players, Destination 2050 highlights that to make the net zero vision for European aviation by 2050 a reality, while maintaining international competitiveness and aviation’s benefits to society, quick, decisive joint actions by governments and industry will be needed.
Industry will need to continue to substantially invest in decarbonisation and innovation and make the necessary operational transitions, while governments will need to ensure a level playing field and facilitate the transition through incentives and by reducing investment risks with consistent and stable policy frameworks.
This is the first pan-European, industry-wide, long-term vision that comes with concrete solutions to the complex challenge of reducing CO2 emissions from commercial flights within and departing the EU, UK and EFTA.
The initiative is led by five European aviation associations – ACI Europe, AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD Europe), Airlines for Europe (A4E), CANSO and European Regions Airline Association (ERA).
ACI Europe’s director general, Olivier Jankovec, said: “The decisive and tangible actions set out in this roadmap are unprecedented.
“Here we have an entire sector not just committing to decarbonisation, but actually charting the path to make it happen and effectively contribute to the EU’s Climate objectives and the Paris Agreement. But whilst we embrace our responsibilities, it is clear that we cannot do this alone. It takes two to tango.
“Now we need the EU to deliver the policy and regulatory framework that will enable us to deliver net zero European aviation by 2050.
“We therefore urge institutional stakeholders to respond to our call and now join the EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation we tabled last November.”
