EU agrees to decarbonize air travel

European Union negotiators have secured a deal to decarbonize the air travel sector by stimulating the region’s green aviation fuel market, seeking to reduce heat-trapping emissions. The agreement, called the ReFuelEU Aviation proposal, was reached by the European Parliament and the Council after late-night talks on Tuesday.

It now needs approval from EU countries to become law, which is usually a formality. The new rules will require aviation fuel suppliers at EU airports to supply a minimum share of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) starting at 2% of overall fuel supplied by 2025, rising to 6% by the end of the decade, and 70% by 2050.

The measures also require aircraft operators departing from EU airports to refuel only with the fuel necessary for the flight to avoid emissions related to extra weight or “tankering.” Airports will also need to ensure their infrastructure is suitable for distributing synthetic jet fuels.

The EU officials described the agreement as a “turning point” and “another important step” for European aviation, saying it would reduce reliance on fossil fuel imports and improve energy security. To align aviation with the Paris climate accord and curb global heating, the sector needs to move away from fossil fuels entirely in the long term, and exploring the use of SAF is one of the ways it is doing so.