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THE ICAO recently announced its ambitious goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050 in the global civil aviation sector.
This agreement between the 192 member states aims to achieve a balance between emissions produced and emissions eliminated and/or offset. To achieve this objective, several levers have been envisaged.
Whether in the short term with carbon offsetting, or in the longer term with sustainable fuels, discover the potential solutions for greener aviation by 2050.
In response to growing awareness of climate change issues, several airlines have committed or been forced to offset the carbon emissions generated by their operations.
One example is the CORSIA scheme, a carbon offset mechanism for the airline industry. In a nutshell, CORSIA obliges airlines to purchase certificates, which allow them to offset carbon emissions by financing projects aimed at reducing emissions in various sectors: reforestation initiatives, renewable energy projects and so on.
However, it should be noted that the actual effectiveness of these processes is open to debate. Indeed, some studies point out that carbon offsetting can be seen as a"greenwashing" strategy that diverts attention from real emission reduction measures.
SAF" refers to sustainable aviation fuels. They are defined as renewable fuels that meet sustainability criteria. They can be produced from various renewable resources such as biomass, algae, agricultural or food waste.
Today, ICAO considers SAFs to be the best solution to CO2 emissions in the aviation sector. Firstly, because they can be incorporated into existing fleets without requiring modifications to the aircraft or fuel supply infrastructure.
The gradual worldwide use of SAFs would significantly reduce CO2 emissions from air transport, as they can reduce CO2 emissions by 30-60% on average over their entire life cycle when produced from waste and residues.
At present, their availability is limited and production costs are still high, which acts as a brake on their widespread use. However, efforts are underway to further develop SAF production and reduce their costs, notably through regulations such as the European Commission's RefuelEU regulation, which will make it mandatory to incorporate sustainable aviation fuels into the fuel supplied to airlines.
Some countries have introduced taxes on carbon dioxide emissions from the aviation sector, to encourage airlines to invest in greener transport.
Increasingly, technological advances are enabling the production of more fuel-efficient and less polluting aircraft. Governments are encouraging airlines to modernize their fleets by offering financial compensation and setting stricter fuel efficiency standards.
Hydrocarbons represent a real potential solution for clean aviation, but it's not going to happen any time soon. Current aircraft and their fuel tanks are not at all suited to this type of fuel. It is estimated that around 3,000 liters of hydrogen gas would be needed to obtain the same amount of energy as one liter of jet fuel. At present, this is too daunting a challenge, all the more so as it would require the mass production of new aircraft.