Aviation growth and global warming

Table of Contents

Executive summary

Section one: Reason and methodology to the report

Section two: The aviation industry' s response to the challenge of climate change

• 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.1.1 The key technologies in which investment is needed to improve the environmental performance of civil aircraft
• 2.2 Manufacturing: research and development programmes to develop new, less polluting engines
  • 2.2.2 Introduction
  • 2.2.3 State-funded research to improve greenhouse gas emissions
  • 2.2.4 Significant engine company initiatives to improve greenhouse gas emissions
  • 2.2.5 The propfan alternative
  • 2.2.6 The “Clean Sky” industry initiative
  • 2.2.7 Conclusions
• 2.3 Manufacturing: research and development programmes to improve airframe and aircraft systems technology
  • 2.3.1 Introduction
  • 2.3.2 Towards the lighter aircraft
  • 2.3.3 Towards the all-electric aircraft - improved aircraft systems
  • 2.3.4 Aerodynamic improvements
  • 2.3.5 Winglets
  • 2.3 6 More esoteric designs - lifting bodies
• 2.4 The potential of new fuels
  • 2.4.1 Introduction
  • 2.4.2 The USAF synthetic fuel-blend trials
  • 2.4.3 Volvo Aero, SAS, Swedish Civil Aviation Authority and Oroboros (funded by Vinnova) alternative fuel study
  • 2.4.4 Virgin Fuels
  • 2.4.5 All-Electric Aircraft Propulsion - NASA Glenn
  • 2.4.6 Other fuel trials - hydrogen and liquefied natural gas
  • 2.4.7 Conclusions
• 2.5 Airlines: new operating concepts to lower emissions/noise using current infrastructure
  • 2.5.1 Introduction
  • 2.5.2 Re-equipping with new aircraft
  • 2.5.3 Painting, cleaning and more efficient MRO
  • 2.5.4 Better flight planning
  • 2.5.5. Optimised aircraft and crew management
  • 2.5.6 Flying at optimum altitudes and more slowly
  • 2.5.7 Reducing weight in the cabin
• 2.6 Airports - managing emissions during taxiing and operations in and around the airport
  • 2.6.1 Introduction
  • 2.6.2 Taxiing alternatives
  • 2.6.3 APU alternatives
• 2.7 Air traffic management - providing more environmentally friendly routings
  • 2.7.1 Introduction
  • 2.7.2 Redesigning airspace to optimise aircraft efficiencies
  • 2.7.3 The next major ATM efficiency improvement programmes
  • 2.7.4 Continuous descent approaches into airports

Section three: Estimates of current and future environmental impact

• 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.1.1 The Communication from the EU Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - ‘Reducing the Climate Change Impact of Aviation'
  • 3.1.2 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ‘Aviation and the Global Atmosphere'
  • 3.1.3 Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) ‘Special Study:The Environmental Effects of Civil Aircraft in Flight'
  • 3.1.4 The Stern Review
  • 3.1.5 Stockholm Environment Institute ‘Aviation and Sustainability - A Policy Paper'
  • 3.1.6 International Civil Aviation Organisation: Assembly 35th Session Working Paper: Agenda Item 15 - ‘Environmental Protection'
  • 3.1.7 Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT ‘Aviation and the Environment'
  • 3.1.8 ‘The possibility of introducing a kerosene tax on domestic flights in Germany' . Dr E Pache - legal opinion commissioned by the Federal Republic of Germany' s Environment Agency
• 3.2 Forecasts given within the reports analysed
• 3.3. Forecasts and recommendations of studies proposing the introduction of financial mechanisms to restrict aviation growth
• 3.4 Recommendations of studies arguing against the introduction of financial mechanisms to restrict aviation growth 124
• 3.5 Recommendations from the examinations of how to apply financial mechanisms to aviation

Section four: Regulatory and other initiatives to curb greenhouse gas emissions from aviation

• 4.1 Introduction
• 4.2 Pressures on governments to restrict aviation growth
• 4.3 The EU' s emissions trading scheme (ETS)
• 4.4 Emissions trading outside the EU
• 4.5 CAEP/7 and emissions trading guidelines
• 4.6 European Union initiatives and proposals beyond the ETS

• Appendix one: Airline initiatives to improve environmental performance
• Appendix two - aeronautical research programmes with environmental mitigation elements, part-funded by the European Commission
• Appendix three - report author biographies