Submitted via IRC for Bytram
'Worse Than Anyone Expected': Air Travel Emissions Vastly Outpace Predictions
Greenhouse gas emissions from commercial air travel are growing at a faster clip than predicted in previous, already dire, projections, according to new research — putting pressure on airline regulators to take stronger action as they prepare for a summit next week.
The United Nations aviation body forecasts that airplane emissions of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, will reach just over 900 million metric tons in 2018, and then triple by 2050.
But the new research, from the International Council on Clean Transportation, found that emissions from global air travel may be increasing more than 1.5 times as fast as the U.N. estimate. The researchers analyzed nearly 40 million flights around the world last year.
"Airlines, for all intents and purposes, are becoming more fuel efficient. But we're seeing demand outstrip any of that," said Brandon Graver, who led the new study. "The climate challenge for aviation is worse than anyone expected."
Airlines in recent years have invested in lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft, and have explored powering their planes with biofuel.
Over all, air travel accounts for about 2.5 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions — a far smaller share than emissions from passenger cars or power plants. Still, one study found that the rapid growth in plane emissions could mean that by 2050, aviation could take up a quarter of the world's "carbon budget," or the amount of carbon dioxide emissions permitted to keep global temperature rise to within 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.
[...] The decision by Greta Thunberg, a young climate activist, to sail across the Atlantic rather than travel by air ahead of her speech at the United Nations next week, has refocused attention on aviation's role in causing climate change and its consequences, including sea-level rise and more intense heat waves, hurricanes, flooding and drought.
Climate protesters have said they plan to gather in Montreal next week, where airline regulators are set to hold their own summit.
William Raillant-Clark, a spokesman for the U.N. aviation body, stood by its emissions projection, which he said was "the most up-to-date" and provided "a clear picture on the future environmental trends." He added that the group "endorses and welcomes wholeheartedly" calls for the aviation industry to address climate change with greater urgency.
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Sunday September 22 2019, @05:46PM
"Nobody is riding a fully loaded bus for three days"
Really? I've certainly done it on charter buses, tour buses, etc.
Nobody is a pretty strong word.
A couple days on Greyhound isn't that uncommon for me and though it varies as passengers get off and on at stops the bus is usually far from empty.
I've not flown commercial since about 2005. Nothing against it, but it's happened that when I've been taking long trips recently I've usually needed to take a lot of stuff with me so it was a fully loaded Suburban perhaps with cargo trailer. (I used to do lighting and sound for some sci-fi conventions.)