An obligatory exercise within the framework of the French presidency of the Council of the European Union, Paris had to bring together the major decision-makers from around the world, if possible, in the den of Airbus in Toulouse, to reaffirm loud and clear their desire to “decarbonize” the air.
Done Friday, February 4, on the occasion of what could be likened to a mini-aviation summit, with the signing of a non-binding document, aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
This objective, as industrialists regularly point out, must still be validated by the States and it will be at the heart of the debates at the 41st General Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization, scheduled for September 2022, in Montreal, Canada.
Today, air represents 2.5% of C02 emissions in the world, which is little compared to 21% of industry, 24% of agriculture or 10% of digital, except that the sector no longer has a choice today, on a forced march in the face of global warming and under environmental pressure.
However, according to a recent study by the Institut Montaigne, air transport has already made significant efforts to reduce its consumption of kerosene, and consequently, its carbon footprint. “Since 1990, CO2 emissions from the sector havet increased annually by 2.5%, while air traffic experienced aannual growth of more than 5.5%”, states the report.
If they want to go further, air transport players will need massive support from States in energy production, particularly in the development of sustainable aviation fuels. This track, the most serious today, would represent 53% of the effort needed to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.
The production of synthetic fuel requiring large amounts of electricity, “this is our whole power generation systemricity which should be reconsidered”, according to the findings of the report.
The study estimates the overall investment, for all transport, at European level at 1,000 billion dollars per year. More than a declaration of intent, this is where it will be necessary to convince the States, already heavily weighed down by the health crisis.