Page 6 - World Airnews Magazine January 2020 Edition

FLAREPATH

CARBON EMISSIONS ARE A

COLLECTIVE

RESPONSIBILITY

By Heidi Gibson

instance, the Airbus A220 and Embraer E2 series can achieve up to
20% better fuel-efficiency than the previous generation. This cuts

ecent calls by environmental activists to take boats, ride down on emissions per passenger per ride, and it offers an obvious

Rtrains perhaps even jump on a horse – anything but take appeal to airlines: lower fuel costs.

a flight has painted a picture in the minds of the general public On the technical side, a small change to existing aircraft with the

that flying is the big ugly, demon behind the rise of carbon dioxide installation of winglets can also result in decreased fuel use. The

levels and climate change. devices improve the wing's lift by changing its aerodynamic profile.

To take this stance is to adopt a one-sided and superficial under- A third solution has been the focus on alternative fuel, made

standing of a complex nature of the role of aviation in the economy from a variety of sources. These can emit as much as 80% less car-

and the environment. In the words of IATA director general and bon and have fewer by-products overall when burned compared to

CEO Alexandre de Juniac - flying is not the enemy - carbon is. conventional jet fuel. They will become more and more an option.

And the responsibility lies in the palm of all stakeholders includ- But for now limited availability and production capacity remain,

ing governments and each and every one of us. Collaboration is so alternative-fuel use for entire commercial flights has a cost too

key, adds de Juniac. His point is salient. Aviation is a responsible high to consider.

industry. Governments should throw their weight behind these An innovative option introduced by a Scandanavian airline was to
eff orts. launch a programme that allows passengers to purchase bio fuel to

Consider 10 years ago the aviation industry united and agreed replace conventional jet fuel for their flights, based on time incre-
on targets to reduce carbon footprint. Instead of trying to hide or ments. For example, a passenger can choose to replace 10 minutes'

deny what is going on, the industry has faced the problem square worth of fuel for their share of the flight. That’s good thinking.
on. Other industries in the fossil fuel oil and gas sector have em- Then there is the work being done on electric planes. Work is

ployed somewhat deviant means by funding the election campaign underway for small planes on shorter routes to introduce mainline

of a well known politician to further cast on the very existence electric planes. The problem lies with the long haul flights, for

of climate change or publishing documents that climate change planes carrying more than 100 passengers.

cannot be proven. And of course there has been the introduction and support for

So while the aviation industry’s contributions to global man the CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for Interna-

made emissions are estimated to be as little as 2% to 3%, the tional Aviation). Significantly at the 40th ICAO assembly govern-

problem is the future. Passenger numbers predicted to double ments re-affirmed their support for CORSIA and agreed to start
to 8.2 billion annually by 2037. That’s just around the corner and looking at long term goals.

greenhouse-gas emissions from airplanes will rise significantly. CORSIA sets a marketplace for carbon offsets and encourages bio

So what is aviation doing to try and find a solution? First there is fuel use. It focuses on international aviation, not domestic flights,

the option of eco taxes. The thinking behind this is to make the air- but individual airlines have set more ambitious goals. Of course

lines and passengers pay more as this would discourage excessive there has been criticism that the scheme does too little, too slowly,

travel and will incentivize green initiatives. That’s like slaying your and that its emphasis on bio fuels can lead to deforestation, but its

golden goose. establishment offers a framework for airlines.

The problem is that the taxes don’t end up where they are Remember carbon offsets don't directly reduce emissions; in-

supposed to. If they did, end up in research for more efficient and stead, they fund eco-friendly activities that have a positive effect,

sustainable aviation, this would be good. But they don’t. And at a cancelling out the negative impact of an action.

deeper level if you make them too high this Ultimately what is needed is a near

will discourage flying and ruin the industry. future in which low-emission alternative

As one well known economist put it, fuels are readily available, large, long-haul

“aviation underpins and lubricates the electric planes are in commercial use and
economy generally; so much of commerce passengers pay a small fee for their carbon
and trade rests on easy access to air travel, output and vote with their feet by choosing

and not to mention social cohesion." airlines that are greener than others.

A second initiative has been better In the end the future is in our hands. So

optimisation of ground operations and as we enter this New Year let us take our

flight plans and the ongoing replacement choices seriously and collectively we will

of old with new, more efficient aircraft. For make a difference. Q

World Airnews | January 2020
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