Environment Counts | Emission from Aviation

Aviation emissions account for around two percent of global CO2 emissions from fuel combustion and around 12 percent of transport sector CO2 emissions today. While the share is expected to remain around this proportion in the future, the volume of aviation emissions in 2050 could be as large as today’s emissions from cars.

The 2008 global aircraft fleet was 50 percent more efficient than the fleet in 1960. Fleet-wide efficiency has improved 1.5 percent per year on average since 1960.
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)’s targets (ICAO 2010) include a global annual average fuel efficiency improvement of two percent until 2020 and an aspirational goal to continue improvement at this rate to 2050, on the basis of fuel used per revenue tonne kilometer. ICAO’s Assembly has also resolved to keep global net carbon emissions from international aviation from 2020 at their 2020 level.

Industry has agreed ambitious collective targets for carbon neutral growth from 2020 and a 50 percent cut in emissions by 2050 relative to 2005 levels (IATA 2009). This strategy covers all of the relevant dimensions: improved technology, more efficient operations and infrastructure and alternative fuels.

IATA is also asking governments to intervene with economic incentives for fleet renewal and development of efficient technology and low carbon fuels.ICAO – AVIATION EMISSIONS