In 2008, the aviation sector became the first to adopt a sector-wide climate action goal. In 2021, the aviation sector reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability when it declared its intention to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This policy will be implemented in partnership with governments worldwide, and the movement will be accelerated by efficiency measures and innovations throughout the aviation sector. To achieve net-zero carbon emissions on schedule, the aviation industry will need to significantly reduce emissions by adopting robust carbon capture technologies and other sustainable initiatives.
Environmental experts estimate that the aviation sector contributes about 3 percent of global CO2 emissions. In fact, it has been projected that the aviation industry will generate about 21.2 gigatons of CO2 between 2021 and 2050. This is partly attributed to the fact that passenger numbers will increase from 2 billion in 2021 to 10 billion in 2050.
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), such as synthetic fuels, biofuels, and hydrogen fuel have been reported to have the potential to reduce the emission of CO2 by up to 80 percent when compared to emissions from traditional fossil fuels. Increasing the adoption rate of sustainable aviation fuel in the aviation sector will reduce the need to invest in expensive changes to the engines that power aircraft.
Manufacturers in the aviation sector are already adopting technological innovations that will reduce emission rates. For instance, jet engines now feature radical configurations like electric and hydrogen-powered engines, which facilitate the decarbonization of aircraft. The European Union (EU) anticipates that if airlines adopt hydrogen fuel, carbon emissions in the aviation industry will decline by 50 to 75 percent. As a result, numerous government initiatives worldwide are working to expand the use of hydrogen fuel in the aviation industry.
Data analytics has also contributed to enhancing effective decision-making, cutting carbon emissions, and increasing the efficiency of flights. Using data, the pilots are adopting best practices and incorporating them into flight plan design. Airlines can use AI/ML-based algorithms that analyze data records from various sources to find the best fuel-saving strategies. These data might include operational flight plans, engineering systems, and tech logs. These algorithms can then be combined with real-time environmental data to determine flight conditions.
Environmental experts have also called on aircraft designers to create more sustainable designs. This is important because things like aircraft shape and weight affect fuel consumption. For example, features like canard wings (two sets of wings in the front and rear of the aircraft, respectively), and blended wings (contouring the aircraft’s body into its wings), can facilitate a high lift-to-drag ratio, which consumes less fuel. Making aircraft from lighter material will require less fuel.
Similarly, airports and airlines are actively collaborating to adopt fuel-saving schemes in and around airports. Aircraft taxiing across the tarmac consumes a great deal of fuel and contributes to emissions. Airplanes must taxi for long periods to maneuver the queues and navigate congestion on the tarmac. Congestion on tarmacs is usually a function of issues arising from gate allocation to arriving flights, delayed changes in departure sequence, and delays in departing flights.
