European Airline emissions surpass pre-pandemic levelsa

30-04-25

IEuropean airline emissions are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2025, reaching an estimated 195.2 million tonnes of CO₂—4% above 2019 levels—highlighting the aviation industry's ongoing challenges in reducing carbon output.

Despite a sector-wide commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 through sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), technological upgrades, and carbon trading, progress remains slow. Airlines, including Ryanair and Lufthansa, argue that SAF is too costly and production remains insufficient, making targets such as the EU's 6% SAF requirement by 2030 unfeasible.

Industry leaders are lobbying the EU and UK to ease environmental regulations, particularly carbon pricing schemes, and align them with less stringent global standards. The EU is reviewing its emissions trading scheme (ETS), currently limited to intra-European flights, while environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E) advocates for extending ETS coverage to all flights.

T&E warns that current frameworks enable long-haul flights to emit more while paying less under international schemes like Corsia. The EU acknowledges the urgency for aviation to do more amid rising flight levels, while Airlines4Europe defends the industry's decarbonization leadership and warns against overregulation that could hamper innovation.

In summary, the aviation sector's return to pre-pandemic activity levels has reignited concerns over its environmental impact, emphasizing the need for effective policies and sustainable practices to mitigate emissions growth.

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