Sustainable aviation today and tomorrow

A4E airlines are determined to address the climate challenge that faces all of mankind, minimise their environmental impact and contribute to efforts to move towards a sustainable European economy as envisioned in the European Green Deal.

The aviation sector has committed itself to carbon neutral growth from 2020 onwards, and to halve emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. In order to reach these targets, a basket of measures is being employed, including innovative technology and the use of sustainable aviation fuels. The starting point of European environmental policy applied to aviation should be to improve the efficiency of the air transport network as a whole. The creation of a competitive European single market for aviation should remain a top political priority.

In Europe, average aviation fuel consumption fell by 24% per passenger kilometre between 1990 and 2017. Over the next 10 years, European airlines will invest €169 billion in greener aircraft technologies which are on average 25% cleaner and less noisy than their predecessors. European airlines are also closely exploring potential pathways towards a net-zero, or low-carbon European air transport through reduction of CO2 emissions in absolute terms and CO2 mitigation (offsets or market-based measures). All governments need to support the United Nation’s global aviation climate protection system CORSIA without unnecessary delay.

A4E members want to be part of the fight against climate change. It is a challenge we face head-on, and one we will only achieve through integrated, cross-sector efforts across policy fields: transport, climate, energy and research. The solution is not to fly less, but to fly more efficiently and more sustainably. A4E airlines look forward to this future.