Projected air travel growth runs counter to climate goals, study says

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

January 12, 2025 6:04 PM EST Updated 10 hours ago


DUBLIN, Jan 13 (Reuters) - The number of air passengers is projected to more than double by 2050, causing surging fuel demand and undermining the aviation industry's steps to reduce its emissions, a study from climate advocacy group Transport and Environment showed on Monday.

As aviation industry leaders meet in Dublin this week at an annual finance conference where many plane sales are expected, the Brussels-based group called for the European Union to implement measures to limit the sector's growth. "It's time to come back down to earth and put an end to this addiction to growth," Jo Dardenne, the group's aviation director, told Reuters.

Steps to tame fast-growing air travel could include limiting airport infrastructure growth and corporate travel while increasing taxation on the sector, the report said. The airline industry, which accounts for about 2.5% of global carbon emissions, has vowed to use more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in an effort to cut emissions and to reach net zero by 2050.

But scant supply and prices that are up to five times higher than traditional jet fuel mean little of the greener fuel is in use. Monday's report said fuel use by the industry was forecast to rise by 59% by 2050 from 2019 levels as passenger numbers increase.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/projected-air-travel-growth-runs-counter-climate-goals-study-says-2025-01-12/

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Link to Transport and Environment PRESS RELEASE - Aviation industry plans for growth ‘irreconcilable’ with Europe’s climate goals

Link to Transport and Environment REPORT (PDF) - https://www.transportenvironment.org/uploads/files/TE_Down_to_Earth_report.pdf

[Think. Again.]

1. Endless growth of all human activity is what got us here in the first place....

...but capitalism is based on endless growth, so there's that.

Besides, obviously the newer SAF will come down in cost as demand increases, and aviation could also replace jet fuel with Green Hydrogen as a combustion fuel or source of electric power, which will also come down in cost as the technology is more widely adopted.

[PSPS]

2. "Green Hydrogen" is a myth. Sorry.

[Think. Again.]

4. I'm sure the U.S. Dept. of Energy will be surprised to hear that.

[question everything]

3. It is not just commercial aviation. The number of private jets has increased and also contributes