A European aviation industry coalition has welcomed the inclusion of sustainable aviation fuel as a ‘strategic net zero technology’ under the EU Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA), which has received provisional agreement between the European Parliament and Council. The Act is a central part of the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan, which aims to follow the example of the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act in stimulating domestic manufacturing capacity in clean energy technologies, with the intention of reaching at least 40% of expected EU demand by 2030. The European Commission says the Act will create the regulatory conditions necessary to attract and support investment, and help build more production facilities in a faster manner. The Commission has also recommended an EU-wide 90% net GHG emissions reduction target by 2040 compared to 1990 levels and put forward a series of measures to achieve it, including through the use of SAF. The industry alliance said while the inclusion of SAF in the NZIA would pave the way for the development of a strong EU SAF market, further policy action was needed to meet the updated 2040 climate ambitions.

The NZIA will enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the European cleantech industry and support the creation of green, quality jobs as the EU seeks to reach climate neutrality by 2050, claims the Commission. The regulation identifies a broad set of net zero technologies that can be supported through strategic projects such as solar photovoltaic, onshore and offshore wind, fuel cells, electrolysers, batteries, grid technologies and sustainable alternative transport fuels, including SAF.

“The NZIA political agreement is a significant stride towards realising our ambitious climate and economic objectives,” said the Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen. “It demonstrates our collective commitment to build a more sustainable, resilient and competitive industrial sector in Europe. Together, we are making the EU a global frontrunner in the clean energy transition.”

The Act aims to create a simplified and enabling regulatory environment that will reduce the administrative burden for cleantech manufacturing, accelerate CO2 capture and storage in the EU, facilitate market access for net zero products and support the development of net zero skills and innovation. It also foresees the creation of a ‘Net-Zero Europe Platform’ to serve as central coordination hub, fostering information and exchange to facilitate the implementation and supporting investment of initiatives throughout the EU.

Renewable hydrogen is seen as one of the key technologies of the NZIA and indispensable in reaching the EU’s 2030 climate targets and 2050 climate neutrality. “By scaling up its production, we will reduce the use of fossil fuels in European industries and serve the needs of hard-to-electrify sectors,” said the Commission. To this end, it is to set up the European Hydrogen Bank to support the uptake of renewable hydrogen within the EU, as well as imports from international partners, and unlock private investments in hydrogen value chains.

The EU has a legal target to reduce GHG emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and has adopted a ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package to accomplish this goal, including the ReFuelEU regulation on mandating SAF uptake at EU airports. The new recommendation for a 90% reduction by 2040 target will help European industry, investors, citizens and governments to make decisions in this decade that will keep the EU on track to meet its climate neutrality objective in 2050, says the Commission.

“It will send important signals on how to invest and plan effectively for the longer term, minimising the risk of stranded assets,” it said on announcing the target. “With this forward-planning, it is possible to shape a prosperous, competitive and fair society, to decarbonise EU industry and energy systems, and to ensure that Europe is a prime destination for investment, with stable future-proof jobs.

“The EU will continue to develop the right framework conditions to attract investment and production. A successful climate transition should go hand-in-hand with strengthened industrial competitiveness, especially in cleantech sectors. Public investment should be well targeted with the right mix of grants, loans, equity, guarantees, advisory services and other public support. Carbon pricing should continue to play an important role in incentivising investments in clean technologies and generating revenues to spend on climate action and social support for the transition.”

Achieving the target would require both emissions reductions and carbon removals, added the Commission, with the deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies, as well as the use of captured carbon in industry. Carbon capture should be targeted to hard-to-abate sectors where alternatives are less viable and carbon removals will also be needed to generate negative emissions after 2050.

Under the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation, aviation fuel suppliers are obligated to ensure that all fuel made available to aircraft operators at EU airports incorporate 6% SAF in 2030, with 1.2% of fuels in 2030 being synthetic fuels. From 2040, the minimum share of SAF rises to 34%, of which a minimum share of 10% of synthetic fuels, reaching 70% and 35% respectively by 2050.

The 2040 recommendation will be followed by a legislative proposal made by the next Commission, after the European elections in June.

The inclusion of SAF in the NZIA is only the first step in developing a world-leading SAF industry in Europe, said the Destination 2050 cross-industry alliance of European airline, airport, civil aeronautics industry and air navigation service providers, which came together in 2021 to commission and then publish a decarbonisation roadmap for the European aviation sector.

“The Commission’s communication recommending the new 2040 target expressly recognises the need to address barriers to SAF deployment at scale, giving the aviation sector priority access to feedstocks and putting incentives in place to close the price gap between SAF and conventional kerosene. SAFs are a crucial component that will enable European aviation to accelerate its decarbonisation, in full alignment with the bloc’s ambitious climate agenda,” said a statement by the five members of the alliance – Airlines for Europe, ACI Europe, ASD, CANSO Europe and European Regions Airline Association.

“The international race to become a SAF leader has started and further policy incentives to scale up the production and uptake are required for Europe to become a leader in the global competition for SAF. These include the extension of the SAF flexibility mechanism beyond 2034; the extension of the current 20 million allowances threshold and 2030 time-limit under the SAF allowances mechanisms; and increased financial support for development of SAF, including through the Innovation Fund, as well as simplifying the administrative procedure for accessing these funds.”

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The European Parliament has approved the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation that will oblige fuel suppliers to blend increasing levels of sustainable aviation fuels, including synthetic fuels, in jet fuel taken on-board at EU airports. Starting from 2025, at least 2% of aviation fuels will be green, with this share increasing every five years to reach 6% in 2030, 34% in 2040 and 70% in 2050. In addition, a specific proportion of the fuel mix – 1.2% in 2030, 2% in 2032, 5% in 2035 and progressively rising to 35% in 2050 – must comprise synthetic fuels, such as e-kerosene. According to the new rules, the term ‘sustainable aviation fuels’, will include synthetic fuels, certain biofuels produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste, used cooking oil or certain animal fats, and recycled fuels produced from waste gases and waste plastic. The adoption of the regulation by MEPs has been welcomed by representatives of the European aviation industry.

The new rules were adopted by 518 votes in favour, 97 against and eight abstentions, and once approved by EU member states through the European Council, will apply as of 1 January 2024 and some provisions as of 1 January 2025.

The ReFuelEU Aviation initiative is part of a package of policy proposals, known as ‘Fit for 55’, by the European Commission to reduce the EU’s GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

“This is a tremendous step towards the decarbonisation of aviation,” commented the Parliament’s rapporteur, José Ramón Bauzá Diaz. “It is now time for EU governments to implement the new rules and support the industry to ensure the cost-effective deployment of sustainable aviation fuels across Europe as well as meeting EU targets. There is no time to lose.”

Under the rules, feed and food crop-based fuels, plus fuels derived from palm and soy materials will not be classified as green as they do not meet agreed sustainability criteria. As they see it as a promising technology, MEPs agreed to include renewable hydrogen as part of the sustainable fuel mix.

“In a complex and competitive world, I fully believe that ReFuelEU is a great opportunity to position the European Union as a global leader in the production and use of SAF,” said the rapporteur.

A joint statement by five European aviation industry associations representing airlines, airports, the civil aeronautics sector and air navigation service providers, said the legislation would back up their Destination 2050 roadmap published in February 2021 that laid out a strategy to reach net-zero CO2 emissions from all flights departing the EU, UK and EFTA by 2050, with SAF a “crucial component”.

They said the clear signal to investors and industrial partners would ensure the required uptake of SAF consumption and boost the European SAF industry. To become a global SAF leader, the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation should be complemented with further incentives to scale up SAF production and uptake in Europe, they suggested. They called for the inclusion of SAF into the EU Net-Zero Industry Act, mirroring the US approach in the Inflation Reduction Act.

Wider promotion of SAF around the world is also strongly recommended, said the Destination 2050 partners. “We call on states and the wider aviation industry across all world regions and at a global level to join forces and rally around ambitious and credible SAF objectives – to ensure aviation globally remains on track to attain the ICAO Long-Term Aspirational Goal of global net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“A robust worldwide climate policy framework for SAF is needed. The November ICAO Conference on Aviation Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3) is a unique opportunity to put in place the right milestones and to deliver ambitious targets for SAF deployment worldwide.”

In further efforts to decarbonise the aviation sector and to better inform the public, MEPs also adopted a rule that as of 2025, there will be an EU label for the environmental performance of flights. Airlines will be able to market their flights with a label indicating the expected carbon footprint per passenger and the expected CO2 efficiency per kilometre. This is intended to allow passengers to compare the environmental performance of flights operated by different airlines on the same route.

The Parliament’s plenary session also agreed revisions to the Renewable Energy Directive, which includes rules on the eligibility of raw materials permitted in sustainable biofuels.

Welcoming the adoption of both pieces of legislation, Finnish renewable fuels producer Neste said they would create demand certainty and attract investment.

“Demand for renewable energy is only set to grow as we strive to meet our climate goals,” said Minna Aila, EVP Sustainability & Corporate Affairs at Neste. “We are better equipped to meet this demand if we have consistency in our legislation. Consistency allows stakeholders across the value chain to invest in the creation and provision of greater volumes of renewable products over a longer term and continue research and development in this field.”

Editor’s note: The ReFuelEU Aviation regulation and the ICAO CAAF/3 conference will be featured in sessions at Aviation Carbon 2023, co-organised by GreenAir News, taking place November 6/7 in London. GreenAir’s airline and aircraft operator readers can attend both days for free (subject to availability and T&Cs) by using the discount code 23-GREENAIR-100 when registering. Other readers can benefit from a special 20% discount by using the code 23-GREENAIR-20. The earlybird rate expires at the end of September so early booking highly recommended.

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The decarbonisation of the industry is its highest priority but achieving net zero will come at a net extra cost of over €820 billion ($900m) for European aviation, a cost no sector can bear on its own, said Javier Marin, President of ACI Europe, in a plea for fiscal support. He told delegates at the airport body’s annual congress in Barcelona the EU’s Fit for 55 package will increase airfares and reduce demand, possibly by up to 20%, and with intra-European routes being the most impacted, regional airports and the communities would be most at risk of losing out on air connectivity. He called for additional policy and financial support to boost production of sustainable aviation fuels in Europe and access to green energy to support the deployment of hydrogen and electric/hybrid powered aircraft. During the meeting, held in conjunction with ACI World’s annual assembly, an Airports of Tomorrow initiative was launched with the World Economic Forum.

Marin, who is also Managing Director of Spanish airports operator Aena, restated the airport industry’s backing for the EU SAF mandates, which he said would provide the certainty needed to trigger investments in European production capabilities, and the importance of support mechanisms such as the EU Innovation Fund and SAF allowances under the EU ETS.

“We absolutely need to boost the production of SAF in Europe and bridge the gap with conventional fuels,” he said. “This requires concrete and actionable support beyond what is currently foreseen to counterbalance the very effective US approach of multiple tax breaks. This implies that SAF are designated as ‘net zero strategic technology’ under the EU Net Zero Industry Act and benefit from the related regulatory support. This also means European states must urgently work on their national SAF supply strategy together with industry – and provide direct financial support.”

He said deploying and servicing hydrogen-powered and electric/hybrid aircraft would involve reconfiguring energy supply, storage and distribution at airports.

“This will require not just massive investments, but also access to considerable green energy,” he told delegates at the ACI Europe/World Annual General Assembly in Barcelona. “This must be factored in and addressed in transport and energy policies in a coordinated way at European and national level. Delivering net zero aviation will be conditional upon no airport being left behind in the energy transition.”

Marin bemoaned the ability of airlines to “freely charge” passengers airfares “that have increased six times over the consumer inflation rate” while airports were “stuck” with charges that needed regulatory approval long in advance.

The meeting heard the total number of airports individually committed to net zero emissions in Europe had risen to 324 in 38 countries, accounting for 76% of the continent’s passenger traffic. Since last year’s pledge, 48 airports have advanced their target, while 132 airports are now committed to reaching net zero by 2030 or earlier.

The publicly available repository of airport net zero carbon roadmaps, provided by ACI Europe to ensure the transparency and efficacy of airports’ progress to their climate objectives, is expanding. The updated repository now covers 153 airports and ACI Europe’s Net Zero Resolution has a new requirement that commits airports to submit a roadmap within one year. An updated edition of the guidance document on developing an airport net zero roadmap was released during the meeting.

“The Resolution, first launched in 2019, has become a reference point for airports’ commitments and tangible progress in reaching net zero carbon as fast as possible,” commented Olivier Jankovec, ACI Europe’s Director General. “The European airport industry is embracing decarbonisation on an unprecedented scale.”

The Airports of Tomorrow initiative aims to bring public and private stakeholders together to address the energy, infrastructure and financing needs of the industry’s transition to net zero by 2050. Built on four pillars – infrastructure, sustainable aviation fuel, finance and innovation – the project will involve expertise exchange and knowledge sharing, the development of tools and guidance, and the advancement of advocacy.

“The initiative will help airports transform from passenger hubs into energy hubs. It is an exciting time for airports – the energy transformation presents them with an opportunity to further lead and change the future of aviation for the better,” said ACI World Director General Luis Felipe.

Added Lauren Uppink, Head of Climate Strategy at World Economic Forum: “We see airports as strategically located epicentres of activity, where leaders from across the aviation ecosystem can convene and work together to transform the industry. If the right planning and investment decisions are made today, airports can play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable future for aviation as well as other sectors.

“The initiative will help airports harness these opportunities, enabling them to fulfil their potential as clean energy hubs and standard-bearers for the net zero economy.”

Photo (Aena): Barcelona-El Prat Airport

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To achieve the European aviation sector’s ambition of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, additional expenditures amounting to €820 billion ($900bn) are required between 2018 and 2050, finds a study commissioned by five industry associations. These additional or ‘premium’ costs, mostly to be spent on alternative fuels, are on top of business-as-usual (BAU) expenditures, such as fleet renewal, which are required for the net zero transition. BAU expenditures over the 2018-2050 period are estimated at €1,068 billion, bringing the total expenditures towards reaching net zero at just under €1.9 trillion. The report just published, ‘The price of net zero’, determines financing in-sector sustainability measures yields substantially lower costs than realising the same emission savings through out-of-sector carbon reductions. The study follows up the industry’s Destination 2050 roadmap published in 2021.

The five Destination 2050 partners – A4E (airlines), ACI Europe (airports), ASD Europe (aerospace manufacturers) CANSO (air navigation service providers) and ERA (regional airlines) – commissioned consultancies SEO Amsterdam Economics and the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre to calculate the expenditures necessary to achieve the targets set out in the roadmap and accelerate European aviation’s decarbonisation.

“Although challenging to do an accurate assessment of the price of reaching net zero for the European aviation sector, we have commissioned this scientific study to establish a better understanding,” said the partners. “We are firmly committed to a climate neutral European aviation in line with the EU climate goals and the Paris Agreement targets. Therefore, decarbonisation is at the heart of our business.”

Of the €1.9 trillion, fleet renewal is found by the study to be the largest expenditure (43%) of which the BAU scenario represents over 90% and premium expenditure (the additional expenditures to be made above BAU) of around 10% (€740 billion and €80 billion respectively). However, the significant investment would result in a €188 billion saving in fuel costs and a further €78 billion saving in carbon pricing.

Expenditure on alternative fuels, which includes drop-in sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen and renewable electricity, is the second largest expenditure (40%), with premium expenditures representing nearly 59% and BAU just over 41% of the costs (€441 billion and €310 billion respectively).

Other premium expenditures are required for air traffic management (€20 billion), ground operations (€9 billion), R&D in future aircraft (€100 billion), airport infrastructure adaptation (€18 billion) and carbon pricing and economic measures (€152 billion).

The use of economic measures, including negative emission technologies, accounting for about 19% of the premium expenditure, is required to compensate for all emissions remaining after the application of the in-sector activities. Both the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and ICAO’s CORSIA scheme are essential to reach net zero, say the partners.

However, they add: “Economic measures must be effective and focused on driving the required decarbonisation processes forward through positive incentives attracting in- and out-of-sector capital. On the contrary, taxation and operational restrictions will hamper the industry’s ability to invest and innovate due to a diminished financial capacity and in turn jeopardising the global competitiveness of European aviation.”

They “strongly recommend” revenues from the EU ETS be reused within the sector to support and incentivise breakthrough technologies, infrastructure and SAF production.

The report says financing in-sector sustainability measures yields substantially lower costs than realising the same emission savings through out-of-sector carbon reductions. It compares European airline revenues of an estimated €145 billion in 2018 with combined average annual expenditures towards net zero of €59 billion.

“The aviation sector’s expenditures towards achieving net zero are substantial and are dependent on access to finance from the private and public sector. This is vital when capital reserves are insufficient to make large upfront payments for new aircraft and infrastructure,” said the partners.

“Only with the right set of incentives and policies can the required capital be made available for the sector’s decarbonisation. This means timely and effective measures bringing long-term clarity and predictability for investors. Regulatory frameworks must encourage low carbon technology deployment.”

Photo (Fraport AG): Frankfurt Airport

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Airbus has announced a range of new international agreements to help progress the preparedness of airports to deliver hydrogen fuel. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Linde, a global industrial gases and engineering group, to jointly investigate hydrogen production, airport storage and integration of refuelling into existing ground handling operations. Both companies will define and undertake pilot projects at multiple airports worldwide from early next year. Airbus has also announced agreements with European LCC Wizz Air to explore the potential for hydrogen-powered aircraft operations and with Suzhou Industrial Park in eastern China to establish the Airbus China Research Centre, which will study advanced technologies including hydrogen energy infrastructure. And it has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with airports trade body ACI Europe to help ensure sufficient infrastructure is in place to support zero emission aircraft technologies, including hydrogen fuel. In addition to their hydrogen partnership, Airbus and Linde will also investigate the potential of power-to-liquid (PtL) fuels, reports Tony Harrington. Meanwhile, Deutsche Aircraft has signed a MoU with Sasol ecoFT on PtL technology collaboration.

Hydrogen propulsion is rapidly evolving as an option for short to medium haul air transport, with Airbus planning to introduce a family of hydrogen-powered aircraft from the mid-2030s. In 2020, the company announced its ZEROe concept for hydrogen-powered aircraft, and launched ‘Hydrogen Hub at Airports’, a programme designed to drive research into the infrastructure needed to transition to low carbon airport operations. Agreements have since been signed with partners and airports in France, Italy, South Korea, Japan and Singapore. 

The global partnership between Airbus and Linde expands a cooperation agreement the companies signed in Singapore in February. “We are advancing well with hydrogen as an important technology pathway to achieve our ambition of bringing a zero-emission aircraft to market by 2035,” said Sabine Klauke, Airbus CTO. “That’s why we are working closely with partners like Linde, who have decades of experience and expertise worldwide in the storage and distribution of hydrogen.” 

Linde’s VP Clean Energy, Philippe Peccard, welcomed the global expansion of his company’s collaboration with Airbus. “By harnessing both companies’ competencies, we are well positioned to collaborate with airports and government authorities in the development of viable concepts for sustainable airport hubs based on hydrogen,” he said.  

Airbus also continues to enter hydrogen research partnerships with airlines, most recently joining the Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air, a major Airbus customer, to evaluate logistics and opportunities for the new fuel. Under the terms of an MoU, the two will explore the potential of hydrogen-powered operations for ultra-low-cost airlines, specifically focusing on the impact hydrogen aircraft will have on Wizz Air’s fleet, operations and infrastructure. The companies will examine specific aircraft characteristics, including flight range and refuelling time, and how these factors might impact the airline’s network, flight scheduling, ground bases and operations at airports.

“We believe that growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive, with leading-edge new technology paving the way to more sustainable air travel,” said Johan Eidhagen, Wizz Air’s Chief People and ESG Officer. “This momentous agreement with Airbus will advance sustainable aviation across the globe through development of ultra-efficient operations and business models of the future.”  

Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus VP Zero Emission Aircraft, said such partnerships with airlines were vital for the company in its development of zero emission aircraft. “Understanding airline fleet and network performance enables us to better define the architectural characteristics for future ZEROe aircraft as well as the impact on airports, ground support and route network,” he said. “We are very pleased to have Wizz Air on board to collaborate on the ongoing research and development into the requirements for hydrogen aircraft operations within a hydrogen-powered aviation ecosystem.”

Airbus said its collaboration with ACI Europe further aims to develop the hydrogen ecosystem by preparing the associated supporting airport infrastructure and bring these to market. It will promote the set-up of technical standards and guidance facilitating the uptake of SAF, hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft, as well as make proposals for the emergence of a policy and regulatory framework.

The establishment of a new research centre in Suzhou will provide research services in advanced manufacturing, hydrogen energy infrastructure, sustainability, electrification and other new technologies, reports China Daily. Operations are due to start in 2023.

While Airbus and Linde plan to also investigate power-to-liquid fuels, another aviation partnership has announced plans to progress the development of PtL and support its certification as a sustainable aviation fuel. Germany’s Deutsche Aircraft and South African chemicals and energy group Sasol ecoFT have signed an MoU to progress technology to produce green hydrogen-based PtL SAF, as part of the aircraft manufacturer’s D328eco aircraft programme.

Deutsche Aircraft is targeting 2026 for certification of this new regional aircraft, which it wants to be compatible with PtL as well as other certified SAF and regular kerosene. Fischer-Tropsch technology specialist Sasol ecoFT converts gasified biomass feedstocks or captured carbon dioxide into liquid fuels. The company is experienced in coal-to-liquid conversion, which is chemically similar to PtL SAF, and will begin their partnership by testing the compatibility of blended synthetic fuels produced through this process.

“Sasol ecoFT and Deutsche Aircraft stand at the beginning of a decarbonisation journey,” said Regina Pouzolz, Head of Sustainability for Deutsche Aircraft. “We both have products originally designed in the age of fossil fuels. Together we can develop rapid solutions to combat climate change by improving our products while building on our heritage and expertise.”

Sasol ecoFT VP Helga Sachs added: “Joining forces between aircraft manufacturers and fuel producers is vital if we want to ensure that aviation becomes sustainable, while enjoying the highest possible safety standards. We are extremely excited about the partnership with Deutsche Aircraft as we take a holistic approach to climate-neutral aviation by looking at the whole value chain from fuel production up to aircraft system level.” 

Photo: Sabine Klauke, Airbus CTO and Philippe Peccard, VP Clean Energy, Linde, sign cooperation agreement at the ILA Airshow in Berlin

A study commissioned by European aviation trade associations has found that while rail travel has lower CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre than air travel, the benefits of shifting short-haul flights to rail are limited and are not a silver bullet for curbing emissions. The study also cautions that a shift can generate other environmental, social and economic costs, and could compromise efforts to decarbonise short-haul aviation through developing new technology. Its report says multiple factors need to be considered when assessing the optimal policy for short-haul aviation in Europe, including the environmental cost of building new rail infrastructure. The heads of the associations call upon policymakers to take all of this into account when considering how to optimise the decarbonisation of European regional transport. Another study in 2020 concluded a modal shift to railways could result in a potential reduction of 4 to 7 million tonnes of CO2 from intra-European aviation but only if the speed and quality of cross-border rail services improved and measures were taken to discourage air travel.

The results of the new study carried out by economics and finance consultancy Oxera for European industry associations covering airlines, air navigation, airports and manufacturers are published in a report, ‘Short-haul flying and sustainable connectivity’. It concludes that although a direct comparison of emissions shows rail has lower emissions per passenger than air travel, a modal shift from air to rail is complex and far from simple. If short-haul travel is banned then some passengers may choose to travel by car instead, which could lead to higher emissions, it says.

Among the arguments raised by the study is that for many short-haul routes with a lower traffic frequency, or at airports without a good high-speed rail connection, rail cannot be economically viable as it is based on a different business model with lower occupancy and speed rates. The industry also points to the importance of regional airports and airlines in ensuring local economies are able to access bigger economic centres.

“They are key to the EU’s cohesion policy and essential tools to reduce territorial and social inequality,” said the associations in a joint statement.

The Oxera report says building new railway lines has a high environmental cost due to the carbon emissions associated with cement and steel production, along with emissions from the fuel used for construction of infrastructure, plus significant impact on biodiversity and damage to wildlife habitats. The study also found there is unlikely to be sufficient rail capacity to accommodate all air passengers on a given route, meaning new railway lines would need to be built and new rolling stock procured.

“This would have significant environmental impacts, and the carbon payback period for such an investment needs to be considered alongside the timeline in which short-haul air travel is expected to decarbonise,” says the report.

It also argues that the gap over time between air and rail CO2 emissions will be reduced as new short-haul hybrid-electric aircraft start to be used on regional routes by 2030 and becoming more widespread by 2040. “As the routes most likely to decarbonise first, short-haul flights within Europe will play a significant role in rolling out lower carbon disruptive technologies and thereby accelerating wider aviation decarbonisation,” commented the associations.

Overall, concludes the report, all these factors need to be taken into account in deciding on the optimal policy for short-haul aviation in Europe. “Providing a range of transport options and encouraging intermodality between them is likely to offer the best solution from a social, economic and environmental perspective.”

The 2020 study carried out for campaign group Transport and Environment found that no European plan exists to improve the speed and quality of international rail services on distances between 200 and 1,000 km. Proposed improvements of railway services mainly focus at national level, with some exceptions for cross-border connections, which reflects the organisation of the railway sector in national companies and a strong involvement of national governments.

The study looked at the benefits of having high-speed rail between most large European cities, as well as the net speed of trains increasing by 10% on all connections competing with aviation and 50% more night trains to offer an alternative for daytime aviation trips. It concluded that around 4 to 7 MtCO2 from intra-European aviation may be avoided by a modal shift from air to rail if these approaches could be met. This corresponds with 6-11% of the CO2 emissions from intra-EU-31 aviation and with 2-4% of CO2 from all aviation fuel consumption in EUR-31, alongside the added benefit of reducing aviation’s non-CO2 climate impacts. To achieve these emission reductions would require both to improve speed and quality of international rail services and to discourage air travel.

A white paper published last year by global consultancy Egis, ‘The future of aviation in a world of sustainable travel’, argued that while high-speed rail projects boast many economic and social benefits, they come at a cost correlated to the transport distance and network, with a need for physical infrastructure along the route and the physical restrictions of geography and urban areas. As most projects today need to be started from scratch, this exposes governments and financers to lengthy returns on investments, considerable risks and high costs. The UK’s High Speed 2 500km rail project linking the north and south of England has an estimated $233 million cost per km, more than twice originally budgeted.

By contrast, while air transport requires significant infrastructure at points of arrival and departure (airports) and to a certain extent along the route (air navigation services), it can currently offer considerably larger economies of scale and greater flexibility at less of a financial and commercial risk than high-speed rail, says Egis.

However, it acknowledges the size of high-speed rail networks is growing considerably in Europe, with Spain, France, Germany and Italy adding a total of 800 high-speed trains to the network by 2030 and for over €100 billion to be invested on an EU level. In parallel, the European long-distance passenger-rail market is going through a phase of mass liberalisation through a regulatory overhaul that will present incumbents and new entrants with the opportunity to open new untapped routes between towns, cities and countries.

High-speed trains are being considered as a viable substitute to short-haul flights more seriously than ever before, said the paper.

However, said William McMaster, Senior Consultant, Aviation at Egis and author of the paper: “While a modal shift from air to rail is increasingly considered as a means of reducing transport emissions, the idea is not as simple as it sounds.

“We have seen opinion polls in Europe showing that the population generally favours short-haul flight bans, and an even greater majority support a carbon tax on flights. Yet paradoxically, only one in two travellers would be willing to take a greener mode of transportation if it took longer than the typical flight – showing that more people want action taken than are willing to act themselves. This suggests demand alone may not be a strong driver for change.”

Yet the major investment and regulatory liberalisation that are taking place in the high-speed rail sector have seen highly disruptive effects on air transport routes, pointed out McMaster. Following 25 years of Eurostar services connecting London with Paris in 2 hours and 16 minutes, a 44% reduction in airline seats (pre-pandemic) has resulted over a period during which air passenger numbers grew by over 200%, he reported, with similar trends elsewhere in the world, notably China.

“However, road and air transport investments could be more attractive than high-speed rail when physical aspects like geography or the economics of public budgets come into play,” he added. “The economic characteristics and overall lower net present value of high-speed rail mean that these networks may struggle to provide a compelling business case.”

A summit of 37 European countries, the European Commission and representatives from nearly 150 companies and stakeholders convened by the French government, which currently holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union, has affirmed support for the goal of achieving carbon neutrality in the air transport sector by 2050. Signatories to the ‘Toulouse Declaration’ have pledged to implement a basket of measures “with effective and ambitious interim milestones” to accelerate the transition of both the European as well as the international aviation sector to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The United States, Canada, Morocco and Japan also took part in the summit and backed the Declaration. Another participant was Salvatore Sciacchitano, President of the ICAO Council, who commended the Declaration and its ambition for strengthening ICAO’s CORSIA international carbon offsetting scheme and the adoption of a long-term CO2 reduction goal at the UN agency’s assembly later this year.

Speaking at the conclusion of the European Aviation Summit, French transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari commented: “Today, a new chapter in aviation history is being opened. In committing to reducing the carbon emissions of air transport by 2050, Europe is leading by example. All of us – governments, industry stakeholders, associations – have come together to rally behind this goal. We shall proudly and in unison uphold it on an international level.”

The summit held last week in Toulouse brough together the 27 EU member states and 10 other member states of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway. Working sessions were held at ENAC, the French National School of Civil Aviation, which included a presentation of a study of citizens of a dozen countries – Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK and the United States. The study highlighted citizens’ desire to both continue travelling and their strong expectations for air transport decarbonisation.

“They hope for a firm commitment from the air sector on a global level and particularly count on biofuels and new engine technologies (electric and/or hydrogen), despite being aware of the rise in prices that this will entail,” reported the French presidency.

The basket of measures to achieve the net zero goal include aircraft technology advancement, improvements in operations, the use of sustainable aviation fuels, market-based measures, carbon pricing, financial incentives and support to foster environmental and climate innovation in the air transport sector, of which “a number are addressed in the [EU’s] Fit for 55 package,” notes the declaration. It calls for “a regular and constructive dialogue, in Europe and worldwide, on the decarbonisation of aviation between authorities, industry and civil society” and for partners worldwide to work together for the adoption at this year’s ICAO Assembly of an ambitious long-term aspirational goal for international aviation of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The declaration also emphasises a need to address the non-CO2 impacts of aviation based on on-going research and “recognising that many CO2 reduction measures in aviation also reduce non-CO2 impacts”.

It also “invites other countries and international organisations to join this declaration, engage in the development of sectoral roadmaps, and work together towards sustainability and decarbonisation of aviation worldwide.” The declaration reaffirms the commitments set out in the UK-brokered declaration of the International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition agreed by 25 countries at COP26 last November.

The European aviation industry last year set a goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with an interim 2030 target of reducing carbon emissions on intra-European flights by 55% compared to 1990 levels, in line with the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ climate goal. At the same time, the Destination 2050 roadmap, the work of the five major industry associations, was published on how the goals could be achieved. The sector proposed an ‘EU Pact for Aviation Decarbonisation’ between industry and national and EU policymakers to agree on targets and the alignment of the roadmap with the enabling of the necessary regulatory and financial framework.

“The Destination 2050 partners now expect the Toulouse Declaration to be translated into a structured dialogue and concrete policy action,” commented the five industry associations representing airlines, manufacturers, airports and air navigation – A4E, ACI Europe, ASD, ERA and CANSO – in a joint statement. “Industry is already transitioning to a decarbonised future through improvements in aircraft and engine technologies, the development of sustainable aviation fuels, improvements in air traffic management and aircraft operations, as well as through efficient economic measures.”

Urging the Commission and EU Member States signing the Declaration to develop and support its proposed Pact, the industry partners called for public and private funding to channel investments, R&D and innovation into decarbonisation and a more sustainable aviation ecosystem, and by including relevant aviation activities into the EU taxonomy for sustainable finance.

They also proposed initiatives and incentives for:

• The earmarking of revenues from the EU ETS to support decarbonisation activities;
• More sustainable airport infrastructure, operations and related services, including through the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme;
• Public incentives for the deployment of sustainable aviation fuels;
• Fleet renewal coupled with aircraft retirement, and bringing zero-emission aircraft to market by 2035, including through the supply and airport infrastructure deployment of green hydrogen and electricity; and
• A more sustainable, network-centric, modern and digital air traffic management system through the Single European Sky and SESAR.

The partners also call on the European Commission to implement the launch of industrial alliances to align the entire ecosystem around the joint ambition. While supporting Europe’s ambition for global action on agreeing a long-term aspirational goal at ICAO, they stress that it must preserve a level playing field and international competitiveness.

Photo: Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (© Philippe Garcia)

The European aviation industry has unveiled a pathway to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 through improvements in aircraft and engine technologies, the use of sustainable aviation fuels, improvements in air traffic management and implementing economic measures. The ambition is based on a commissioned report, Destination 2050, that assumes an impact on demand for flying as a result of the measures but with European air passenger numbers still projected to grow by 1.4% per year on average between 2018 and 2050. The report expects pre-Covid 2019 to have been the peak year for European aviation carbon emissions, which totalled around 183 million tonnes. Although the impact of new aircraft technologies, such as hydrogen power, and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will not materialise until after 2030, the report expects emissions from intra-European flights will be reduced to 55% of 1990 levels by 2030 and so contribute to the goals of the European Green Deal, mainly as a result of economic measures. Post-2030, hydrogen-powered aircraft will be the main contributor to the sector’s emissions reduction on intra-European routes, backed up by drop-in SAF used on extra-European flights.

Making European aviation net-zero by 2050 a reality will require quick, decisive joint actions by governments and industry, said industry leaders launching the report. 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, they said.

The Destination 2050 initiative is led by the five European associations representing airlines (A4E and ERA), airports (ACI Europe), manufacturers (ASD Europe) and air traffic management (CANSO). The report was compiled by the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and SEO Amsterdam Economics.

A reliance on economic measures to reduce emissions on intra-EU+ (EU, UK and EFTA) flights is extensive in the period up to 2030, says the report, but is significantly reduced towards 2050 as time is required before the most substantial emission reductions measures in the form of new technology and sustainable aviation fuels enter the market, but these will need policy support, it finds.

“Robust economic measures and much needed government and regulatory support in the short term will be necessary to bridge the gap until innovation, technology and SAF become more widely available to help our industry reach its environmental targets,” said European Regions Airline Association (ERA) Director General Montserrat Barriga.

Economic measures assign a price to CO2 emissions, ensuring airlines take climate costs into account in their business decisions, with the EU ETS the mechanism applying to intra-EEA flights, which will be complemented by the ICAO CORSIA scheme for international flights. The report assesses compliance costs to European airlines would likely amount to around €4.1 billion by 2030 to offset 57 MtCO2 – calculated at €60 per tonne CO2. This would fall to €3.6 billion by 2050 to offset 27 MtCO2, although the carbon price could rise to €165/tonneCO2 as allowances and carbon credits become increasingly scarce. Direct air capture is seen as an important enabling technology for deployment in the short to medium term in order to create high quality allowances and credits.

Economic measures are expected to remove only 1% of CO2 emissions from intra-EU+ aviation after 2030 as new technology – principally from hydrogen and SAF – becomes widely available. Contrary to that for intra-EU+ flights, the reliance on economic measures increases slightly after 2030 for departing flights from Europe.

The level of SAF uptake is still relatively limited in 2030, predicts the report, achieving a saving of 7 MtCO2, or contributing to around 3% of total reduction measures. However, it points out, those efforts will be needed so as to yield much higher benefits of SAF beyond 2030 as production capacity will be increased and other production processes reach maturity. By 2050, SAF could contribute around 34% of aviation CO2 reduction measures, with a higher proportion from non-EU+ flights as hydrogen power would play a bigger role in intra-EU+ aviation. SAF volume is forecast by the report to increase from 3 Mt (6% of total kerosene volume) in 2030 to 32 Mt (83% of total kerosene volume) by 2050. Almost 90% of all energy used in aircraft operations in 2050 is expected to come from a renewable source.

An array of improvements in ATM and aircraft operations, including the Single European Sky (SES), could yield a 5 to 6% system-level CO2 emissions reduction in 2030 and 2050, with most of these improvements being realised by 2035. To enjoy the full benefits of the SES, it is imperative to move more towards a network-centric and digital ATM system and requires political willingness, says the report.

To reach European aviation net zero emissions, it estimates a total saving of 250 MtCO2 in 2050 (from a 2018 base year) could result from the effect of the following sustainability measures:

• 111 MtCO2 through improvements in aircraft and engine technology (60 MtCO2 by hydrogen-powered aircraft on intra-European routes and 51 MtCO2 by kerosene powered or hybrid/electric aircraft);
• 18 MtCO2 through improvements in ATM and aircraft operations;
• 99 MtCO2 through using drop-in SAF; and
• 22 MtCO2 through economic measures (carbon removal projects only).

As well as collaboration between stakeholders and setting a coherent long-term policy framework, the authors of the report recommend the EU aviation industry and government should work towards ensuring a global commitment to a net-zero future for aviation that aligns with the Paris Agreement and the 1.5 degree IPCC scenario.

“The current ICAO work on defining a global long-term aspirational goal … is a key opportunity to realising this ambition. If a global net-zero target cannot be agreed upon, global and European goals should at least be brought closer together,” they say.

Commenting on the report and the net-zero goal, Airlines for Europe (A4E) Managing Director Thomas Reynaert said: “This long-planned vision and roadmap for the future of European aviation underlines our sector’s commitment and determination to play our part in tackling climate change despite the current crisis. A robust regulatory framework will be paramount in achieving not only an environmentally sustainable future, but also a financially resilient and competitive European aviation industry as a whole. We remain committed to work with policymakers to take aviation forward jointly for the next generation of travellers.”

Added Olivier Jankovec, Director General at airports body ACI Europe: “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 join the EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation we tabled last November.”

Representing nearly 2,000 airports worldwide, trade association ACI World has adopted a resolution at its annual assembly that recognises climate change requires global collaboration and action, and adaptation and resilience should be key issues included in airport recovery plans despite the Covid pandemic. Opportunities should be identified to ‘build back better’ by keeping sustainability and resilience at the core of recovery strategies, says the resolution. A survey conducted by ACI in 2019 found almost 70% of airport operators who responded reported they had already been impacted by adverse weather patterns and conditions. Meanwhile, at ACI Europe’s annual congress, two further levels were unveiled of the industry’s Airport Carbon Accreditation programme that require airports to align their carbon management strategies and plans with the ambition of the Paris Agreement.

“Sustainability is one of the key pillars of our industry and climate change continues to pose the highest long-term risk that the world faces,” said ACI World’s Director General, Luis Felipe de Oliveira, commenting on the adoption of the resolution. “While airports contribute only a small fraction to the total level of industry emissions, we are focused on a carbon neutral goal for 2050, with some regions achieving the milestone earlier than that.”

ACI is urging governments to support the recovery of airports by providing policies, investment and incentives to decarbonise the sector and make it more resilient. It advises members to consider multiple solutions for decarbonisation, to gradually transition towards net-zero carbon in the long term and to continue to conduct risk assessments as an integral part of their master planning.

“We also encourage members to support the protection of biodiversity, which can also help in preventing the emergence of zoonotic diseases contributing to future pandemics,” said de Oliveira.

In a keynote ‘state of the industry’ address at ACI Europe’s live-streamed 30th Annual Congress, Director General Olivier Jankovec said the European airport industry was facing extreme financial distress and massive job cuts, with 1.5 billion passengers lost so far this year.

“Our airport economic model has been dependent upon and driven by the assurance of continued dynamic growth in air traffic,” he said. “But we can no longer assume that will be the case in the post-Covid-19 environment. Our industry needs to look to robust future-proofing with new ways of trading and operating.

“Crucially, the combination of powerful structural determinants including the Climate Emergency, continued push-back against globalisation, geopolitical instability and increased regulatory risks will result in lower long-term growth in air traffic.”

However, said Jankovec, the drive to ‘build back better’ had only served to increase the European airport industry’s determination to take a lead in crafting a sustainable future, as evidenced by its existing commitment made last year to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. He announced the publication of a revised ‘Sustainability Strategy for Airports’, first published last year, which provides guidance to airports on how to step up sustainability efforts in the post-Covid era.

ACI Europe first launched the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme at its annual congress in 2009 and is now established in all of ACI’s global regions. It independently assesses and recognises airports’ efforts to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions through four levels, with the first level requiring measurement of an airport’s carbon footprint. The highest level, Level 3+, requires airports to reach carbon neutrality through a combination of carbon reduction efforts and offsetting.

For the first time since its inception, the programme now adds two new levels: Level 4 Transformation and Level 4+ Transition. ACI says this marks a shift in the ambition of the programme to align with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and airports seeking attainment at the higher levels will have to define their reduction targets and associated emissions pathways according to IPCC scenarios.

The levels require extending the carbon footprint so that additional sources have to be included, notably covering all significant operational emissions from third parties, including airlines. Requirements related to stakeholder engagement are also tightened, with effective partnerships oriented towards delivering emission reductions coming to the fore.

“The programme has always set the bar high in terms of our industry’s leadership and commitment to striving towards measurable change. We do not shy away from the role aviation plays in the climate emergency,” said Jankovec, who revealed that 29 airports had joined the programme this year since the start of the pandemic and a further 22 airports had achieved new levels of accreditation.

“The introduction of these two further levels sets the bar yet higher. They bring the programme into line with the latest scientific and policy developments of recent years, and quite rightly reflect enhanced public expectations of the societal and environmental role we play. And already, airports are showing themselves able to step up.”

During the congress, ACI announced two airports are the first to achieve Level 4+ certification, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) and New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International. DFW recently received a 2020 United Nations Global Climate Action Award for its continued efforts to find innovative ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

The introduction of the new levels to align with global climate goals was praised by Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary. “This is encouraging. I commend airports for this leadership – a signal that can set an example for others to follow with ambitious climate action.

“To achieve the deep transformation needed for sustainable development and stabilisation of global temperatures, we must require commitments and participation from all sectors and levels of society. Airports have been severely hit by the Covid-19 crisis and yet they are continuing their efforts to map and reduce their CO2 emissions year by year, as well as to engage their business partners in this endeavour.”

Details of the programme and the six levels of certification are contained in a new publication ‘Airports Responding to Climate Change’.

Photo: DFW Airport

Over 20 European aviation and travel associations have called for a joint commitment between industry and policymakers to achieve net zero CO2 emissions from all flights within and departing from the EU by 2050. As signatories to an ‘Aviation Round Table Report’, they have urged EU leaders to join and actively support an ‘EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation’ by the end of 2021 by contributing to a policy and financial framework they see as vital to enable the aviation sector to deliver on its sustainability commitments. The report details ways aviation can recover from the Covid-19 crisis whilst supporting the EU’s Green Deal objectives and build a greener, socially and economically robust future. These include an EU legislative framework on sustainable aviation fuels, funding and investment for low-carbon aircraft innovations and an incentive scheme for fleet renewal. The sector is also looking for EU aid in recovering from the pandemic.

“The European aviation sector believes that its recovery is fully compatible with, and should be accompanied by, broader efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, provided the right policies are in place,” say the authors of the ‘Aviation round table report on the recovery of European aviation’. “Therefore, the sector is committed to continue its efforts to reduce its negative environmental impacts, both locally and globally.”

However, they say, a bold strategy is firstly required for a sustainable recovery of the European aviation sector and to restore public confidence in air travel through effective coordination of travel restrictions and requirements by EU member states. The EU and member states should put in place a targeted European Aviation Relief Programme until the recovery of air traffic, advises the report, which the sector does not expect before 2024 or 2025. Support measures should aim to stabilise the sector and help prevent widescale loss of employment and air connectivity, it adds.

“The European aviation sector believes that its recovery is fully compatible with, and should be accompanied by, broader efforts to reduce its environmental footprint, provided the right policies are in place,” says the associations’ declaration. “Therefore, the sector is committed to continue its efforts to reduce its negative environmental impacts, both locally and globally. The latter implies in particular for all stakeholders and all policymakers to work together to achieve net zero CO2 emissions from all flights within and departing from the EU by 2050.”

The pact between the sector, stakeholders and government should chart a path towards the 2050 carbon neutral target with the aim of achieving significant emission reductions by 2030, in line with EU Climate Action objectives, states the document, and also consider the feasibility of making 2019 the peak year for CO2 emissions from European aviation, “while enabling the sector to continue delivering its social and economic benefits.”

The signatories say the pact should specify the supporting policy framework and financial mechanisms needed at EU level to achieve the goals. This includes an urgent need for a comprehensive EU legislative framework to promote the uptake and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) as well as the establishment of a green incentive scheme for fleet renewal coupled with retirement, and an increase in public co-funding for civil aviation research and innovation in fields such as electric propulsion and hydrogen and synthetic fuels. Recognition should also be given to the revision of the Single European Sky and the continuation of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) alongside the global CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme for international aviation.

A comprehensive SAF framework with a dedicated stable set of policy measures and public investment plans to boost European production and uptake would help accelerate aviation decarbonisation and contribute towards achieving the EU’s 2030 climate goals, say the report’s authors. Particular attention should also be given to the medium- and long-term potential for synthetic fuels to be scaled up.

Subject to meeting strict sustainability criteria, they say measures should include:

• Public investment (including possible ownership) in SAF production facilities enabling the necessary de-risking required to debt finance projects as well as the execution of offtake contracts with aircraft operators;
• Support to private investment in SAF production, for example through grants and/or loan guarantees;
• Support to R&D in new SAF feedstock and production pathways.

The industry also advocates a progressive EU-wide blending mandate that would enable the European aviation sector to gradually increase the use of SAF, based on strict sustainability criteria, without compromising its competitiveness.

The report estimates around 780 aircraft in European in-service fleets could be “early retired” and replaced by more modern and efficient aircraft, which it says has the potential to save up to 50 million tonnes of CO2 up until 2030. Fleet renewal coupled with retirement could be maintained through the implementation of a corresponding temporary and airline/aircraft operator non-market distorting co-financing EU incentive scheme, it recommends.

“Such a scheme could be a win-win for all stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem as it will help the aviation sector to recover from the Covid-19 crisis. Most importantly, it would have important environmental benefits in the short term.”

On market-based measures, the report says policymakers should ensure the continuation of aviation’s inclusion in the EU ETS and reforms to the scheme should be done in a complementary way to CORSIA, while avoiding distortion of competition for European aviation. It also calls for revenues collected through ETS allowances be ring-fenced and reinvested into aviation decarbonisation, for example through R&D funding or financial incentives to the deployment of SAF. By 2050, to achieve the net zero target, the report envisages any residual aviation emissions being removed from the atmosphere through offsetting involving natural carbon sinks, for example forests, or dedicated technologies such as carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS).

The report also recommends industry and governments should work together to facilitate multimodal choices of passengers to support the most efficient journeys across an integrated transport system and include multimodal ticketing and distribution. It also has proposals on the local impacts of aviation such as noise and air quality.

The drafters of the report included ACI Europe (airports), A4E (airlines), ERA (regional airlines), ASD (aerospace), CANSO (air traffic management), ECA (pilots) and ETF (transport trade unions).

One of the 20 signatories to the report is campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E), a longstanding critic of efforts so far to decarbonise aviation.

“We haven’t always been best friends with the aviation sector but we have signed this joint roundtable report,” said William Todts, President of T&E, during a session at this week’s virtual ACI Europe Congress and Assembly. “It wasn’t an easy decision but I genuinely believe there is a big opportunity to build back better. The airline industry is in a big crisis. It will ask and get additional support and we can use this as an opportunity to do much better.

“But we need to be clear what a sustainable recovery is and what it is not. It is not a return to 2019 with similar levels of growth, add a bit of biofuels and CORSIA, and it’s done. We’re looking for the type of change that’s taking place in the automotive industry where they are completely changing their factories, retraining their people and investing billions of euros. That’s what we are going to have to see in the aviation industry but I’m really hopeful that the sustainability pact that we are jointly calling for will create a framework and set ambitious goals. We all need to work together.

“There are three elements that are very important. Firstly, it is essential we scale up clean new fuels and we need to focus on those fuels that are sustainable and scalable. First generation biofuels are not sustainable and the problem with advanced biofuels is they are not scalable, so we need to focus on those we can scale up, such as e-fuels. This will save us a lot of trouble down the road. Secondly, we need a lot more innovation in this sector. It’s exciting that Airbus are promising us hydrogen aircraft by 2035 but we don’t have any means to hold them accountable. That’s not the way it works in the automotive sector – targets are set and binding. Thirdly, we will need to have a discussion about tax. It’s going to be hard to have untaxed fossil kerosene in a net-zero world.

“There has been a lot of fighting between civil society and the aviation industry but we now have an opportunity for the industry to emerge very differently from this crisis. It’s going to be a big change.”

The European Commission’s Executive Vice President, Margrethe Vestager, said the report provided important food for thought both for immediate issues and forward-looking challenges.

Added Transport Commissioner Adina Vălean: “I welcome this report from the aviation sector and civil society on what is needed to rebuild passengers’ trust, and for the recovery of this hard-hit sector, which remains critical for global supply chains and people’s mobility. It offers a vision of how to make the sector stronger, more sustainable and more forward-looking than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. I applaud the commitment to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, and the proposal to create a pact for social sustainability. This is fully in line with our ambitions for the future growth of the EU.”

In the UK, meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week unveiled a 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution to help achieve the government’s net-zero emissions by 2050 pledge. One of the 10 actions is to support difficult to decarbonise industries such as aviation through research projects for zero-emission planes. The government recently set up a Jet Zero Council with high-level representatives from the sector.

Ahead of the government announcement, the industry coalition group Sustainable Aviation had called for support in three areas it considered critical to achieving net zero flight: the delivery of a UK SAF industry; making electric, hybrid and hydrogen powered aircraft a reality through the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute; and the completion of airspace modernisation. Targeted loan guarantees and the provision of capital grants would be critical, they said, to delivering first-of-a-kind SAF plants that could lead to up to 14 UK plants generating sustainable fuel from household and industrial waste by the middle 2030s.

Welcoming the government plan, the Chair of Sustainable Aviation, Adam Morton, said: “It is particularly encouraging that Jet Zero is identified as one of the priority areas. Through this investment and the work of the newly formed Jet Zero Council, UK aviation has the potential to lead the world in developing and deploying cutting edge technologies such as sustainable aviation fuel.

“SAF technology is available now, can be used in existing engines and aircraft, and its production overlaps strongly with the regions that have been earmarked for hydrogen and CCUS projects. However, follow-up action is needed urgently to stimulate the required private sector investment and remove obstacles to deployment. Over the longer term, these synthetic fuels will be joined by electric and hydrogen propulsion as part of a package to deliver net zero flight.”