A Review of Sustainability in Aviation
The last couple of decades have seen air transport grow exponentially to become the safest and most far- reaching mode of transport. The vast economic and social benefits of this growth however, are significantly eroded by its adverse impact on the environment. To counter the negative impact on the environment the International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO), coordinates industry efforts to reduce emissions.
These efforts have seen a reduction in emissions by more than 50% in the last two decades. This progress has been driven by the adoption of stricter standards, technological research, development and societal expectations. Reducing emissions is an effort that requires active participation from aircraft operators (commercial and private), manufacturers. regulators and all stakeholders.
ICAO‘s central role
One of ICAO’s roles is to ensure sustainability in aviation. The organisation plays a central role in managing and reducing emission. In 2004, ICAO adopted three major environmental goals;
1. To limit or reduce the number of people affected by significant aircraft noise;
2. To limit or reduce the impact of aviation emissions on local air quality;
3. To limit or reduce the impact of aviation greenhouse gas emissions on the global climate.
Over the years ICAO has adopted more stringent standards which have resulted in a marked reduction in emissions. To meet these standards, air operators (both commercial and private) have adopted strategies such as an optimum fleet composition and the implementation of operational practices that support these environmental goals. Critically, in order to satisfy ICAO’s Environmental Standards, all stakeholders need to make a concerted effort to reduce emissions
Testament to significant environmental efforts by the aviation industry, carbon emissions per passenger have halved from the 1990 figures . In its 2019 Environmental Report, ICAO stated that the period between 2016 and 2019 had seen an unprecedented progress in international aviation environmental protection.
Fuel Efficiency
The consumption of jet fuel, alone, accounts for over 95 per cent of overall aviation carbon emissions which contribute to deleterious climate change and environmental degradation. As thousands of aircraft take to the sky and millions of liters of fuel are consumed each day, greenhouse emissions will continue to grow if nothing is done. However great strides are being taken to develop sustainable fuels and improve fuel efficiency to mitigate the industry’s environmental impact.
Fuel efficiency improvements have averaged 2.3% per year since 2009. Newer jets in service are more than 80% more fuel efficient per seat kilometer compared to those produced in the 1960s. The new Airbus A380 and A220, Boeing 787, ATR-600 and Embraer E2 aircraft and modern private jets use less than 3 liters of jet fuel per 100 passenger kilometers, matching the efficiency of most modern cars.
The new Airbus A380 and A220, Boeing 787, ATR-600 and Embraer E2 aircraft and modern private jets use less than 3 liters of jet fuel per 100 passenger kilometers, matching the efficiency of most modern cars.
Retrofitting of Winglets
The retrofitting of winglets since 2000 has seen huge reductions in CO2 emissions. Winglets are the devices that are installed on the wingtip of aircraft to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. Aviation Partners Inc, announced that their trademarked Blended Winglets have saved more than 10 billion gallons of jet fuel, resulting in a corresponding reduction of over 105 million tons of CO2 emissions. This is equivalent to operating Alaska Airlines’ entire fleet of aircraft for nearly 14 years, or power roughly 450,000 cars in the city of Seattle for 34 years.
Green Fuels
In January 2018, a Boeing Dreamliner 787–9, Qantas passenger flight made history by flying from Los Angeles to Melbourne using bio-fuel extracted from mustard seeds. The flight saw a 7% reduction in carbon emissions, compared to a regular jet fueled flight. While much costlier than regular jet fuel, most bio-fuels emit less pollutants.
Further research and development in alternative fuels is necessary before regulators permit widespread adoption of bio fuels. There are many impediments along the way, which include an array of technical requirements, approval by governing bodies and fully satisfying safety standards. The production of bio fuels results in considerable devastation of rain-forests that has a negative effect on the environment and presents another challenge. All these factors need to be considered and weighed to evaluate whether the gains outweigh the losses.
Fleet Renewal Programs
Effective fleet planning and fleet programs play a very important role in achieving sustainability targets. Fleet renewal programs are designed to replace older and less fuel-efficient aircraft with newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft. Newer aircraft and engines use light-weight materials that are significantly more fuel efficient than those used on older aircraft.
The majority of big airlines have adopted fleet renewal programs that replace older aircraft with more fuel-efficient aircraft and this has resulted in great reductions in emissions. Fleet renewal programs can be bolstered through innovative aircraft acquisition strategies. Instead of outright purchase of aircraft, a combination of ownership and leasing arrangements allows greater flexibility in phasing out aged aircraft. This helps to maintain an environmentally sustainable fleet age. It is essential that sustainability is a major factor in aircraft acquisition strategies so that sustainability goals are met.
Private Jets
Private aviation poses a unique challenge since most companies do not own their fleet and manage the private jets on behalf of private owners. As a result, it is difficult for these operators to incorporate fleet management strategies, since they do not own the aircraft and are not responsible for aircraft purchase decisions.
New Technologies
Flying long distance on electric or hydrogen powered planes is still a long way off but research and development continues. Earlier this year, a modified Cessna Caravan 208B, the biggest electric powered plane to ever take off and fly, took off and flew for thirty minutes. There are numerous developments into electric planes, but one of the biggest challenges remains the weight of the batteries required to power the aircraft. Fuel easily fits into the wings and is consumed during flight leaving a nearly empty aircraft at landing. This makes it ideal as landing requires low weight. Battery powered aircraft have the same weight at take off and landing and this poses a challenge. Experts are of the opinion hybrid 50-seater aircraft, a combination of electric and fuel powered aircraft will come into service in the next decade.
In the space industry, hydrogen fuel cells have been used to power spacecraft auxiliary electric systems. This technology is now being explored in the aeronautical industry to power electrical systems on future aircraft. Airbus, Boeing are at the forefront of developing hydrogen concept aircraft expected to enter service by the end of this decade.
Carbon Offsetting
To counter the expected growth in emissions, a carbon offsetting program CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) has been signed by 162 countries. The program aims to ensure that any rise in international aviation emissions above 2020 levels are offset elsewhere. Carbon offsets allow airlines and operators a way to balance their emissions by contributing to projects that reduce CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Measuring Emissions
There are various calculators and tools to assist in calculating emissions. The ICAO Carbon Emissions Calculator is a great tool to calculate emissions. Measuring and accounting for emissions helps bring an understanding of current emission volumes and how to direct and inform decisions.
Conclusion
Air traffic is the fastest growing mode of transport but its contribution to CO2 emissions is rising mainly due to slow improvements in fuel efficiency. Environmental sustainability remains a major concern for the aviation industry. There industry has adopted multiple strategies to mitigate the adverse impacts on the environment and more work needs to be done to reduce aviation’s impact on the environment.
The use of green fuel, and maintaining a young and fuel-efficient fleet are efforts that can produce immediate results. The entry of electric, hydrogen planes and other new technologies will be big game changers.
The burden is not only on the aviation industry, but will require a collective effort from government, regulators, passengers, operators, airlines, manufacturers, and all stakeholders. To continue enjoying the benefits that aviation brings, aviation community and all stakeholders need to be committed to transition to sustainable flying.
Written by
Brun Mudezeri and Trish Machiri
