Like nearly all human activities, air transport produces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as it uses fuel to power aircraft. The efficiency of aircraft has improved continuously and, in fact, a flight taken today will produce half the CO2 that the same flight would have in 1990. However, the industry is also growing rapidly to meet the needs of citizens around the world who wish to travel.

Aviation's CO2 emissions have remained at around 2% of total global emissions since at least as far back as 1994. Despite the growth in traffic of aviation, the industry's efforts to improve efficiency have ensured that the CO2 growth has at least not outgrown the growth of emissions from the rest of the economy.

However, as all parts of the economy wake up to the need to cut emissions (and as other sectors already have access to low- or zero-carbon energy options), emissions from air transport are likely to become a larger proportion of total CO2.

Approximately 90 percent of aircraft emissions occur higher than 3,000 feet above the ground, with the remaining 10 percent emitted during taxi, takeoff, initial climb, and during the approach and landing. Aircraft ground and low altitude operations produce the same emissions described above, with an added impact on local air quality resulting from nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, hydrocarbon and soot particulates. Ground service equipment (GSE) and airport service vehicles generate most or all of these same emissions, further contributing to aviation’s impact on climate and local air quality.

Aviation involves a range of activities that generate CO2 emissions, including

• Transport to and from airports
• Manufacturing of aircraft and components
• Maintenance of aircraft
• Ground handling operations
• Airport facilities including retail outlets
• Flight operations

Approximately .02% of all carbon emissions are produced in private aviation. Many companies across the aviation value chain have set goals to be completed over the long term, but there are actions they can take today to move closer to accomplishing these objectives.

We at Jet Teller believe in a fully transparent aviation industry, where we can work together to improve standards, hold accountability and bring private aviation into a green future.

Look who has offset

Alliance Jet (9H-ANS) - click 9H-ANS to view

AerCap (EI-AER) - coming soon.