German Aviation Association calls for power-to-liquid road map to bring emissions to zero
Clean Energy Wire / Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
The German Aviation Association (BDL) said it wants to bring CO2 emissions from air traffic to zero - after months of rising criticism from politicians and activists such as the Fridays for Future climate movement. In a declaration, the association proposed a list of ideas – without including any timeline for their implementation – including investing in more energy efficient aeroplanes and participating in pilot projects for the production of sustainable power-to-liquid fuels as an alternative to kerosene. Previously, BDL has only committed to ensuring CO2 neutral growth, says the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung in an article. The association recommended that the revenues of the German air traffic tax should from now on be earmarked for putting renewable fuels on the market. The BDL also declared it would encourage customers to compensate for emissions when booking flights. In the declaration, the BDL discourages a German “solo attempt” on CO2 pricing. Instead, the association supports an international market-based solution.
With emissions in the sector rising fast, air traffic has become a focus of public attention, both in Germany and across Europe. Recently, German environment minister Svenja Schulze has called for “a fair CO2 price for air travel” while the Green Party have proposed higher taxes on domestic flights.