Balancing Economic and Environmental Performance in the Air Transportation Sector

🛢️ Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)

Sustainable aviation fuels(SAF) are one of the most promising avenues for reducing aviation’s carbon footprint. Produced from biofuels derived from biomass, waste, or synthesized fromgreen hydrogen and captured CO₂e, they offer an alternative to fossil kerosene.

• First-generation biofuels derived from crops can, paradoxically, emit as much or even more CO₂e than kerosene (up to 1.5 times as much) when the entire production cycle is taken into account.
• In contrast, second-generation biofuels, produced from residues or waste, can reduce emissions by 20% to 80%, depending on the processes used.

Their price remains a major obstacle:

• About $1 to $1.50 per liter for SAF produced using HEFA technology,
• Compared to about $0.50 per liter for conventional jet fuel (with a barrel priced at over $80).

👉Boursorama

The ReFuelEU Aviation plan, adopted by the European Union, calls for a phased rollout:

• 2% of jet fuel must be sustainable by 2025,
• approaching 70% by 2050.

💶 Carbon Tax

The European aviation sector is part of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), which requires organizations to purchase emission allowances to offset their CO₂e emissions.

Problem?

The European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) currently applies to CO₂e emissions from flights operated within the European Economic Area (EEA), that is, intra-European flights. International flights departing from or arriving in the EU are not covered by this system, which limits its effectiveness in reducing overall emissions from the aviation sector.

👉The European Commission

In 2023, Air France paid only 46 million euros under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). However, if all of its flights departing from Europe had been subject to a carbon tax, the bill would have totaled nearly 700 million euros.

Ce décalage met en lumière les failles du marché carbone européen. Qu’il s’agisse d’organisations aériennes traditionnelles comme Air France ou de transporteurs low cost, le principe pollueur-payeur reste mal appliqué.

👉T&E's France Office

The revision of the EU ETS (European Union Emissions Trading System) in the aviation sector aims to ensure that the aviation industry contributes to the EU’s climate goals by phasing out free allowances and applying the enhanced linear reduction factor to aviation.

🌍 International Regulation

Launched bythe International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) is the world’s first mechanism designed to offset CO₂e emissions from international flights.

• Goal: to stabilize emissions at 2020 levels.
• How it works: Companies must offset excess emissions by purchasing certified carbon credits (reforestation, renewable energy projects, etc.).

The CORSIA program consists of three phases and ends in 2035

Ministry of Ecological Transition

• Limitations:
  • Domestic flights not covered;
  • Participation will remain voluntary until 2027;
  • Doubts about the effectiveness and quality of certain carbon credits.

✈️ Reducing Air Travel

Beyond technical and economic measures, reducing demand for air travel remains a powerful but politically sensitive strategy. It relies on several levers:

• Shifting to rail for short-distance travel
• Reduce business travel through the use of digital tools (videoconferencing, remote meetings).
• Raising travelers' awareness of the climate impact of air travel

This restraint in consumption—sometimes referred to as “energy efficiency”—complements technological efforts. It is essential for limiting the growth of emissions in a sector where every technological advance remains, for now, constrained by rising demand.

Given that air pollution from maritime transport contributes not only to greenhouse gas emissions but also to the emission of fine particulate matter, every player in the industry must rethink its business model.

• Fuel accounts for an average of 50 to 60 percent of a ship’s operating costs
• Even a slight reduction in consumption therefore directly reduces financial expenses.

In France, as elsewhere, regulatory and societal pressure is mounting to accelerate the energy transition. Using energy more efficiently is becoming not only an economic imperative but also a strategic opportunity.

Furthermore, by planning ahead for future carbon taxes (such as the EU’s proposed maritime carbon tax scheduled for 2026) and the quotas imposed by the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) for maritime transport, companies can avoid heavy financial penalties.

The international aviation sector faces a major challenge: reducing its impact on the climate while meeting growing demand for air travel. Biofuels offer a promising alternative. However, they are not enough to offset the rise in energy consumption resulting from the increase in the number of flights. Furthermore, their production raises questions about the sustainability of the resources used and competition with other global energy needs.

To accelerate the transition, it is essential to have access to reliable, accessible, and action-oriented tools.

This is precisely the goal of Decarbo’Solution®, through its SaaS platform dedicated to measuring, tracking, and reducing CO₂e emissions. Thanks to its expertise and highly accurate data, Decarbo’Solution® enables various organizations to:

• Accurately measure their carbon footprint,
• Identify specific ways to reduce[...],
• Proactively manage their climate strategy,
• Offset residual emissions

🌱 In a world where environmental responsibility is becoming the norm, Decarbo’Solution® positions itself as a key partner in driving a more responsible aviation industry, aligned with planetary boundaries and societal expectations.