Who's Responsible for the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of an Airplane?

Who's Responsible for the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of an Airplane?

Recently, we conducted a poll on LinkedIn asking the

following question:

If Delta purchases an airplane from Boeing that releases greenhouse gasses, is Delta responsible for the Scope1 emissions generated by the plane, or is Boeing responsible, or someone else?

Here is how LinkedIn members voted:

1. The Owner of the plane: 40%
2. The Planes Manufacturer: 13%
3. Both: 45%
4. The Fuel Provider: 13%

The correct answer to our poll question is “A,” the Owner of the plane, which in this case would be Delta. This reaffirms the understanding of responsibility in the aviation industry.

Here’s why.

Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse gas emissions of the organization that owns, controls or operates the plane. In this case, Delta has purchased the aircraft from Boeing, so they are responsible for the Scope 1 emissions.

But what if Delta just leased the plane from Boeing.? Would Delta still be responsible?

Yes, even if Delta leases the plane, they are still responsible. Leasing the plane means they have direct control of the airplane, and therefore, they are accountable for the Scope 1 emissions. This underscores the intricate nature of responsibility in the aviation industry.

Here’s Why This Question Is So Important

Greenhouse gas emissions from airplanes are a significant – and growing – concern. Aviation contributes about 2.5 percent of global CO2 emissions, accounting for about four percent of global warming. Further, these emissions are increasing because the demand for air travel has expanded.

This increase in emissions is true even though airplane manufacturers are working to reduce these greenhouse gas emissions. They are doing this by changing designs, developing more sustainable aviation fuels, or building hydrogen-powered planes.

However, the aviation industry still falls into the “hard-to-abate” sector. This means that these emissions are proving very challenging to reduce.

-Steve