Why pilots could face new speed restrictions in the sky

It is the trillion dollar question. How can aviation, one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industries, become more sustainable? A new study suggests that slower planes could be part of the solution. A new research piece, published by the University of Cambridge, lists a series of sustainable aviation goals to be achieved in the next five years. The authors issue a stark warning if they are not actioned. “If these goals are not implemented immediately and achieved by 2030, the opportunity for transformation will slip away, leaving the world to face the escalating climate impacts of a rapidly growing aviation sector, which is projected to at least double by 2050,” the report says. The aviation industry accounts for GBP2.67t of the world’s gross domestic product, around 4.1%. However, flying is one of the most carbon intensive activities you can do, and the aviation industry emitted around 915m tonnes of CO2 in 2019. In total it is estimated aviation is responsible for 4% of all man-made activities that drive climate change. Acknowledging this, in 2021 the IATA approved a resolution for the industry to hit net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The study maps out the projected development of technologies such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), hydrogen or methane which will help to achieve that goal. But there are also a number of solutions that will have a direct impact on the passenger experience, including slower planes, steeper ticket prices and newer aircraft. Let’s take a look at how the pursuit of net zero could impact you, the passenger.<br/>