domingo, 22 de dezembro de 2024

Aviation emissions

 


Aviation emissions

https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/transport/reducing-emissions-aviation_en#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20direct%20emissions%20from,transport%20sector%2C%20after%20road%20transport.

 

Aviation is a highly energy-intensive sector. For example, a person flying from Lisbon to New York and back generates roughly the same level of emissions as an average EU citizen does by heating their home for a whole year.

 

In 2022, aviation contributed 2% to the global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, experiencing a faster growth rate in recent decades compared to rail, road, or shipping. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), with the rebound of international travel post-COVID-19, aviation emissions for 2022 reached almost 800 Mt of CO2. This is approximately 80% of pre-pandemic emission levels.

 

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) forecasted that by 2050 international aviation emissions could triple compared to 2015. In 2022, direct emissions from aviation accounted for 3.8% to 4% of total EU GHG emissions. Aviation generates 13.9% of transport emissions, making it the second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector, after road transport.

 

To address this trend, various technical and operational measures - such as the use of sustainable aviation fuels, improvements in airframes and engines, operational optimisations, a modal shift to less emission-intensive modes, including rail, and reducing the need for transport (e.g., through videoconferencing) - are essential to mitigate the growth of emissions, ultimately reducing them in the coming decade and contributing to the EU’s overall climate neutrality target.

 

In addition to CO2, aircraft engines release various other gases such as nitrous oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), water vapour, and particulate matter - including sulphate and soot. When these emissions occur at high altitudes, they impact the physical and chemical properties of the atmosphere. This contributes to the greenhouse effect, the main driver of climate change. These gases can lead to the creation of persistent contrail cirrus clouds, which also contribute to global warming by retaining the Earth’s heat.

 

As confirmed by a report from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the non-CO2 effects of aviation activities accounted for more than half (66%) of the sector’s net climate forcing in

Sem comentários: