CO2 emissions track falling air traffic in Europe but with ‘variation’

Flights across European airspace in 2020 generated a fall in CO2 emissions that was largely in line with declining flight numbers, according to data released by Eurocontrol. The air traffic management organisation notes, however, that there was “considerable variation” in the emissions reductions by country, driven by factors such as fleet make-up – including aircraft age and, therefore, efficiency – flight distances, the mix of market segments served and the decline in flights driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall, CO2 emissions were down 57% on 2019 levels, in a network that saw flight numbers 55% lower. In terms of individual countries, Eurocontrol highlights Belgium’s relatively small CO2 emissions decline of 30% – against flights falling by around 50% – as an example of the impact of cargo services. Freight flights increased from 11% to 25% of services departing Belgium in 2020 versus 2019. “Cargo flights use larger aircraft and fly further than the Belgian average, and therefore generate above-average CO2 emissions,” Eurocontrol states. “A second reason was that, due to short-haul cancellations, the average scheduled flight was much longer than in 2019, so emitted more CO2.”<br/>