Mitigating the Carbon Footprint

A report by National Geographic suggests that if aviation were a country, it would be the world’s seventh largest carbon emitter. Today the industry contributes 12% of the total CO2 emissions created by transport (road vehicles by comparison contribute 74%). Despite this, its impact is not as critical as other industries as the all the supply chain is committed to the reduction its carbon footprint.

In this way, aviation produces 2% of all human-induced carbon dioxide. By 2036 it is forecasted that the industry will contribute with $1.5 trillion to the world GDP increasing directly its impact on the carbon footprint.

As it is well known an increment in CO2 emissions promotes a rise in temperature which in turn has negative impacts for the industry such as damage to runways, particularly in hot regions, the incidence of health issues of personnel who work in airports, increasing delays and cancellation of flights and an imminent rising in costs.

For this, the whole industry is committed in reducing the fuel per km. This reduction is possible through the implementation of new generation engines which allow a more efficient combustion, the use of lighter materials (composites), aiming to reduce the weight of aircraft and the implementation of new aerodynamic designs such as the blended wing body aircraft, that with efficient high-lift wings and a wide airfoil-shaped body is able to generate lift while reducing the size and drag of the wings

Blended Wing Body (Source: German Aerospace Centre)

In addition to this it is important to bring into the table elements such as the use of Biofuels, especially those from resources such as corn and sugar cane and the implementation of renewable energy in airports by the utilization of solar panels, the use of electric vehicles and the construction of green buildings.

All these strategies mark the high commitment of the aviation industry with the planet and future generations as well as to contribute to the sustenance of its outstanding performance into the current and future worldwide economy.