Climate and Environmental Protection - Decreasing Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Gas Emissions in Transportation - page 228

Fig. 15.5 Climate impacts of
combustion products in the
atmosphere

14

12

40/60

10

55/45

8

hydrogen
kerosene

6

4

95/5

2

0

0 .51 .52 .53 .54 .5

factor for relative greenhouse effect

timetables, route networks and flight frequencies. Emissions can be further
reduced by increasing loads, minimizing the number of empty seats and improved
regulation of air traffic [ 26 ].
However, the total number of passenger-kilometers is growing at a faster rate
than manufacturers can reduce emissions. At this time, there are almost no
alternatives to burning kerosene. In the short term the growth in aviation is
therefore likely to continue to generate an increasing volume of GHG emissions
[ 27 ].
The IATA has the following environmental targets:

• Fuel efficiency must improve by 25% in 2020 and by 50% in 2050 in com-
parison with 2005; and
• 10% alternative fuels must be used in 2020.
Besides climate protection, aviation has two other environmental challenges:

• Decreasing noise in air traffic; and
• Improving the air quality on the ground, primarily reducing NO x emissions [ 28 ].
According to plans of the European Regional Airline Association (ERAA), the
upper limit of pollutant emissions in air traffic must be 97% in 2012 and 95% in
2013 on the basis of the average emissions between 2004 and 2006. 15% of CO 2
emission certificates must be auctioned off by 2013. Therefore, low emission
airliners will have a cost advantage, while older airplanes with higher emissions
will have to buy additional certificates [ 29 ].
The EU states which auction certificates must invest only in appropriate pro-
jects for climate protection. The roadmap of the EU plans to cut CO 2 emissions by
60% by 2050. In addition, every state is obliged to transparently report its
investment in climate protection.