How does aviation affect climate change?

science and technology

Climate activists have stepped up efforts to persuade travelers to boycott air travel because of their emissions. Under the pressure of frequent travelers worried about climate change, the aviation industry says it is trying to curb emissions, but the technology needed to cut carbon emissions is still out of reach.

"The sector is under great pressure," said Alexander de Goniak, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whose members met this week in Seoul.

The industry has been heavily criticized for its carbon emissions, which exceed 285 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer traveled by the passenger, far exceeding all other means of transport, followed by land transport in 158 and rail travel in 14, according to European Environment Agency figures.

De Goniak said the industry was eager to cut emissions, criticizing the introduction of aviation taxes for more sustainable sources. "These taxes are often absorbed into state budgets and spent on what they want except the environment," he said.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) estimates that air transport is responsible for 2% of global CO2 emissions, roughly equivalent to the total emissions in Germany.

Aircraft also emit particles such as nitrogen oxides, which can hold the heat at high altitudes, meaning that the industry is responsible for 5 percent of global warming, according to the Climate Action Network, a comprehensive group of environmental non-governmental organizations.