Aviation Sector on Back Foot Following Week of Regulatory Action: GMPB
Green Mobility Magazine
Empowering professionals with sustainable transport intelligence.
Covered in this week's Green Mobility Policy Brief: European Commission Addresses #Airline #Greenwashing with Enforcement Action Against 20 Carriers; #IATA Report Urges Collaborative Research on 'Aviation #Contrails to Inform Climate Impact Mitigation Strategies; UK Announces #SAF Mandate; and #Truck Manufacturing Carbon Intensity Higher Than Previously Reported – Green NGO.
European Commission Addresses Airline Greenwashing with Enforcement Action Against 20 Carriers
The European Commission, in collaboration with the Network of Consumer Protection Cooperation Authorities (CPC), has initiated action against 20 airlines following an alert from the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). The CPC network, which includes consumer protection agencies from Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain, has identified potential instances of misleading environmental claims made by these airlines, particularly related to CO2 emissions offsetting and the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
The concerns raised by the authorities suggest that certain marketing practices by the airlines may be in violation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, specifically Articles 5, 6, and 7. These practices include representations that consumers can neutralise the CO2 emissions of their flights by paying an additional fee, using terms like “sustainable” without substantial justification, and providing CO2 emissions calculators without scientific evidence of their accuracy.
In a statement, Airlines for Europe (A4E) told the Green Mobility Magazine that they “recognise the importance of clear, transparent information about sustainability and [their] efforts towards achieving net zero carbon emissions” and noted that the aviation industry has already outlined an independently produced roadmap to net zero—Destination 2050—and many airlines have interim targets verified by SBTi.
IATA Report Urges Collaborative Research on Aviation Contrails to Inform Climate Impact Mitigation Strategies
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released a report emphasizing the need for enhanced research into aviation-induced contrails and their climate effects. The report, titled “Aviation Contrails and their Climate Effect: Tackling Uncertainties and Enabling Solutions,” advocates for greater collaboration between the scientific community and industry to improve the understanding of non-CO2 emissions and to collect more atmospheric data.
Contrails, which are produced by aircraft engine exhaust under certain atmospheric conditions, have the potential to contribute to climate change by affecting the Earth’s radiation balance. The report notes the existing gaps in scientific knowledge concerning the formation, persistence, and climate impacts of contrails. It points to the scarcity of high-resolution, real-time atmospheric data as a significant challenge in developing accurate contrail predictions and understanding their overall effect on the climate.
IATA’s Director General, Willie Walsh, has made a statement underscoring the necessity of informed action supported by robust data and scientific analysis. Walsh’s comments reflect caution against premature regulatory measures that could potentially have unintended negative consequences on the climate due to a current lack of comprehensive understanding.
UK Announces SAF Mandate
The United Kingdom government has announced a legislative proposal aiming to ensure that by 2030, 10% of jet fuel used in UK-originating flights will be sourced from sustainable avenues. This initiative, known as the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate, is contingent on parliamentary approval and is expected to be enacted in January 2025.
The mandate directly responds to the increasing need for the aviation sector to reduce its carbon footprint. It builds on the momentum of previous initiatives, including a government-backed transatlantic flight powered entirely by SAF that took off from Heathrow in November.
According to the mandate’s specifications, the aviation industry is to be supplied with an estimated 1.2 million tonnes of SAF annually. This volume is projected to enable aircraft to travel a distance equivalent to 3,000 global circumnavigations cumulatively.
Truck Manufacturing Carbon Intensity Higher Than Previously Reported – Green NGO
A recent study by Transport & Environment (T&E) has revealed discrepancies in European truck manufacturers’ reported carbon emissions. The analysis indicates that actual emissions are approximately 50% higher than the figures disclosed to investors. This revelation comes as regulations are set to change, requiring truck manufacturers to report Scope 3 emissions—those that are indirect and occur in the company’s value chain.
The study scrutinises major European truckmakers, including Scania, MAN, Renault, Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, DAF, and Iveco. These manufacturers are found to be more carbon-intensive investments when compared to other industries such as oil, steel, and automotive, with coal mining being the only sector with a higher average carbon intensity.
Truckmakers’ Scope 3 emissions are significant, derived mainly from the vehicles’ fuel consumption over their operational lifetime. For example, an average truck is responsible for 450,000 litres of fuel burned, which constitutes 99.8% of a truckmaker’s total carbon impact. Despite this, companies like Mercedes-Benz and DAF have not reported their Scope 3 emissions, while others like IVECO, Renault, and Volvo have underreported these figures. MAN and Scania, on the other hand, have provided accurate Scope 3 emissions data.