Sustainable aviation fuel is the only way forward if we want to keep flying
PaulCallisterandRobertMcLachlan
The targets envisioned by the Paris Agreement leave no room for fossil fuelled commercial aviation by 2050
Covid has slashed flight numbers and the impact on tourism in New Zealand hasn’t been as bad as feared Photograph: Philip Brown/Reuters
Covid has slashed flight numbers and the impact on tourism in New Zealand hasn’t been as bad as feared Photograph: Philip Brown/Reuters
Fri 26 Feb 2021 14.00 EST
Last modified on Sat 27 Feb 2021 01.30 EST
Aviation is an important part of the global economy; until Covid-19, it was responsible for 2.8% of global CO2 emissions. In New Zealand, aviation is responsible for an even higher percentage of CO2 emissions, the figure having doubled since 1990 to 13% in 2018. The country’s geographic isolation, transport system, international tourist industry, and globally dispersed families have all contributed to the jump in growth and will make reducing emissions a challenge.