Decarbonising Aviation

WTM wants to encourage the development of alternative fuels to ensure the long term prosperity of the industry and the communities which rely on tourism for their livelihoods. Some future-proofing the industry.

The aviation industry is our sector’s Achilles’ heel. Change is coming we need to make aviation better or accept that its failure to address its carbon emissions will damage our industry, damage it badly.

In June 2020 we hosted a symposium on decarbonising aviation. Working with Paul Peeters and Chris Lyle we brought together some leading scientists working on decarbonising aviation to showcase the rapidly emerging alternatives. At WTM, London in November 2020 we hosted a discussion on decarbonising aviation with panellists from Airbus, easyJet, Heathrow Airport, Jamaica, Sunvil Holidays and Universal Hydrogen.

There are alternatives.

The future of our sector requires more radical decarbonisation, it is time for accelerated change.

As the awareness of the perils of climate change grows, there is increasing criticism of aviation. As the impacts of climate change become more prominent and more dangerous for many people, we can expect the criticism of aviation to grow louder.

For many developing countries, the challenge of climate change is a significant threat, and for some an existential threat. Aviation is essential to their tourism trade; tourism is an important part of their economy, necessary to enable them to import food, medicines and technology for their development. But, aviation is a major contributor to climate change, that threatens them.

The problem is not flying, the problem is the fuel they burn. The problem is carbon.