Full Title: Sustainable Aviation for a Greener Future
Author(s): Dabin Xue, Xiqun Michael Chen, and Shiwei Yu
Publisher(s): Nature Communications
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
As demand for flights increases, the global aviation industry must transform to become more sustainable. Here we propose six pathways to set aviation on a path to a greener future that include innovations in aviation fuel, management, and regulations.
The aviation industry contributes to global connectivity and economic development, but its environmental impact poses a formidable challenge in the context of urgent climate action. Yet, decarbonizing aviation is challenging. Aircraft rely on energy-dense liquid hydrocarbons and emit nitrogen oxides and condensation trails, which influence radiative forcing1,2. In 2019, carbon dioxide emissions from global aviation reached more than a gigaton of carbon3. With demand for aviation projected to double or triple by 2050 compared to the 2019 level4, it is crucial to achieve sustainable aviation, while meeting the growing demand for passenger and cargo transport if we are to mitigate the environmental footprint. The transition to sustainable aviation is not merely a technological challenge. It is a systemic transformation that requires coordinated efforts from airlines, air traffic management authorities, aircraft manufacturers, and environmental organizations.
The authors propose six pathways to decarbonize aviation that integrate near-term solutions and long-term innovations. The pathways include the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels, advancement of hydrogen and electric propulsion, optimization of air traffic management, and implementation of policies that incentivize sustainable practices.