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Private Aviation and its Growing Carbon Footprint
Context:
A study published in Nature highlighted that emissions from private aviation increased by 46% between 2019 and 2023.
More on News:
- The aviation sector, if considered as a country, would rank among the top 10 greenhouse gas-emitting nations worldwide.
- Private aviation alone contributed an average of 3.6 tonnes of CO2 per flight, according to the study.
- Air travel, particularly private jets, is one of the most polluting modes of transport, emitting high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides, with additional environmental impacts from vapour trails and gases.
Private Aviation Usage and Trends
- A study analysed private aviation usage for major global events, including:
- World Economic Forum, Super Bowl, COP28, Cannes Film Festival, and FIFA World Cup.
- Short-Distance Flights: 47% of flights were under 500 km, with 19% under 200 km, many of which were empty or for goods delivery.
- Private jet usage peaks in summer, especially on weekends, for leisure destinations like Ibiza and Nice.
The Carbon Footprint of Private Aviation:
- Higher Emissions Per Passenger: Private jets have a much higher carbon footprint per passenger compared to commercial flights.
- According to a 2021 report by the European Federation for Transport and Environment, private jets are five to 14 times more polluting per passenger than commercial flights and 50 times more polluting than trains.
Global Trends and Regional Differences:
- Concentration in Wealthy Nations: The majority of private aviation activity is concentrated in wealthy nations, with the United States leading with 68.7% of all private aircraft. Other countries with high private aircraft ownership include Malta, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
- Rising Wealth in Developing Nations: India, despite being a developing country, ranks among the top 20 nations in private aircraft ownership.
- India’s wealth growth, with the third highest number of billionaires, contributes to the rise in private jet ownership.
- As of March 2024, India had 112 private planes registered, with a ratio of 0.01 private aircraft per lakh population.
Challenges in Decarbonisation:
- Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs): Efforts to decarbonise the aviation industry include the use of SAFs, hydrogen, and electrification. SAF is estimated to cost at least 120% more than conventional jet fuel while reducing emissions by just 27%.
- Hydrogen presents challenges in storage, transportation, and aircraft redesign. Electrification faces issues of battery weight, flight stability and dependency on raw materials from other industries.
- Ethanol-based Aviation Fuel: Experts suggest that India’s ethanol supply chain could be used to produce aviation fuel, but this must be carefully managed to avoid negative land-use and groundwater impacts.
- Policy and Regulation: Implementing effective policies and regulations to reduce emissions from private aviation is crucial. Some experts suggest a tax on private aviation to help mitigate its environmental impact.
Initiatives and Future Solutions:
- Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA): This UN-led initiative requires airlines to offset their carbon dioxide emissions on international routes by investing in projects that reduce CO2 elsewhere, such as renewable energy projects and reforestation.
- India’s Efforts to Decarbonise Aviation: Key policies such as ‘Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik’ (UDAN) aim to enhance rural connectivity, while ‘Nextgen Airports for Bharat Nirman’ (NABH) is working to expand airport capacity by more than fivefold.
- Indian airlines, like SpiceJet and Air Asia, have tested low-carbon fuels (e.g., jatropha-based fuels, SAF).
- Potential of Ethanol in Aviation Fuel: CSTEP’s research estimates that by 2050 if India fully uses surplus sugar to produce ethanol for SAF instead of blending it with petrol, it could meet 15-20% of the aviation fuel demand.
