“To reduce the CO₂ emissions of the plane, there is certainly not only one solution”

2023-08-15 11:56:31

It has become a thorny question in some families when preparing for vacation departures: should we stop flying? While air traffic is constantly increasing, the aviation sector accounts for between 2.5% and 4% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Professionals estimate this share to be minimal, but scientists point out that the phenomenal growth predicted for the aviation sector in the coming years is unsustainable in a warming world.

How much does the aviation sector really contribute to global warming? Are hydrogen or biofuel planes credible alternatives? Should we significantly reduce traffic? And what consequences would that have?

Isabelle Laplace, researcher in economics at the National School of Civil Aviation (ENAC), in Toulouse, provides some answers in this episode of the “Human Heat” podcast, broadcast on April 11, 2023 on the website of the Monde.

Can you explain the role that the aviation sector plays in global warming? It is often said that it represents 2.5% of CO emissions₂ globally, but this is not the only criterion to be taken into account. Why do airplanes emit CO₂ ?

Simply because they use kerosene, which is actually oil, a fossil fuel. When there is combustion of kerosene, there are polluting emissions, in particular CO₂, the main greenhouse gas. It is estimated that air transport emits 2.5% of CO₂ worldwide, all activities combined. But that’s not all: in terms of indirect effects, there is what is called contrails. It’s something we all saw when we rolled our eyes, the little white streak behind the camera. This contrail generates clouds, which will behave a bit like greenhouse gases, they will amplify the greenhouse effect when they are present, knowing that they are present for a few hours or a day. So we have direct and indirect emissions and we don’t know everything, we are still at a research stage. We know how to measure CO₂but as far as contrails are concerned, we still have to learn.

Read also: Aircraft white tails contribute to global warming

Finally, 2.5% or 4% is not that important compared to other sectors such as cars or digital. The problem is that this is a growing sector. Instead of reducing air traffic, every year it increases by 3% to 4%, and CO emissions₂ increase at the same time…

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