Flying has shrunk the world! It's now possible to travel around the globe quickly and easily. Jumping on a plane and jetting off on holiday or a business trip is the norm for many of us, and with the rise of budget airlines, the number of people taking to the skies is increasing. But while air travel is costing us less, the cost to the environment is going up.

 

Climate change is something we're all aware of now, and aviation companies know that some of the blame for this is being pointed¹ at them. Last year commercial airlines were forecasted to use about 97bn gallons of jet fuel. But while we could think twice about taking a flight in the first place, particularly a short-haul trip that could be made by train, technology might be the answer to reducing emissions² and minimising the environmental damage.

 

Recent developments have focussed on reducing the amount of fuel airliners³ burn. Making flying green and sustainable was the hot topic at the recent Dubai Air Show. There was talk of advances in engine technology, making them more efficient, and possibly using biofuel to power aircraft. Alejandro Rios Galvan, a bioenergy expert and professor at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, told the BBC that "these have the capacity to reduce the carbon footprint anywhere between 50-80% when you compare them to fossil (fuels)." And Phil Curnock, chief engineer of the civil future programme at Rolls-Royce, also suggested that electric hybrid⁴ engines could play a part for smaller aircraft, covering shorter distances. He says "it offers the possibility of a carbon-neutral flight for a limited range."

 

Being carbon neutral is the ultimate goal for the aviation industry, and one British airline, Easyjet, has recently said it would become the world's first major net zero carbon airline by offsetting⁵ carbon emissions.

 

Of course, aircraft manufacturers are constantly looking at ways to make their planes more fuel efficient. Boeing's Dreamliner, for example, is already in operation and uses 25 per cent less fuel per passenger compared with aircraft of a similar size. Other improvements include better aircraft aerodynamics, changes to ways aircraft taxi on runways, and the use of lighter⁶ materials.

 

But if we can't kick the flying habit, it seems these are the developments we need to make in order to ensure air travel is as green as possible. But aviation experts agree it's going to take time. We're left with short-term action such as taxing flights, regulation or protest – or being grounded and not flying at all.

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