Scrapping business class could halve aviation emissions
Differences in CO2 emissions can be explained by the share of occupied seats, the aircraft models used on a route and the cabin layout
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AIR travel is famously one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise, and the number of air passengers keeps increasing. Electric planes and sustainable aviation fuels are still a long way off making a dent in the industry’s emissions – if they ever will.
But new research shows aviation could still cut its climate impact dramatically, simply by using planes more efficiently.
Aviation is responsible for 2 to 3 per cent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but its contribution to global warming is about 4 per cent when secondary effects such as condensation trails (which trap heat) are factored in. This impact is dominated by rich people flying frequently, often long-haul in business and first class or even private.
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