The COVID-19 pandemic led to a decrease in people’s mobility, resulting in a significant drop in emissions from the aviation sector. However, the latest data shows that by 2024, emissions have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, despite efforts to decarbonize the sector. Moreover, airlines still do not pay the full cost for the pollution they cause.
The organization Transport & Environment (T&E) believes that in order to reduce emissions, key European legislation needs to be expanded. This would also open the opportunity to mobilize billions of euros for the green transition.
Detailed figures show that in 2024, the European aviation sector achieved 96 percent of the number of flights and 98 percent of the emissions compared to 2019. In total, there were 8.4 million flights, resulting in the emission of 187.6 million tons of CO₂.
Regarding responsibility for pollution, there is a significant gap. Airlines only pay for emissions from flights within the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, and Switzerland. Yet, flights operating on other routes—those that are the largest polluters—are exempt from this system.
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Had the European Union and United Kingdom’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) been extended to cover all flights during 2024, it is estimated that an additional 7.5 billion euros could have been generated. These funds would have been significant for investments in developing green technologies, such as sustainable aviation fuels or electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft.
However, airlines continue to promote the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), which allows for emissions to be offset through the purchase of carbon credits worldwide. This system charges far less for emissions compared to the expanded EU ETS. According to T&E, relying on CORSIA is not a good option, either environmentally or financially. Instead, expanding the EU ETS to cover all flights is seen as the best option for European economies.
The European aviation sector has still not fully taken responsibility for its emissions, concludes the latest analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E).
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