BRUSSELS - Companies relying on carbon offsets to make customers feel less guilty about unsustainable habits are in for a wake-up call. Lawmakers in the European Parliament on Thursday agreed to push for a ban on businesses saying their products are carbon neutral thanks to offsetting schemes — like planting trees to compensate for CO2 emissions — amid concerns that the programs are inefficient and lack transparency, Leonie Cater, Louise Guillot, and Mari Eccles report for Politico. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
16 May 2023 - Carbon offsets work by allowing companies to theoretically erase the greenhouse gasses emitted by an activity like manufacturing - or traveling - by paying to plant trees or prevent deforestation. A fine sentiment, but according to an investigation by the UK's Guardian news, only around 10% of claimed credits actually result in emission reductions.
"It's one thing to be able to promote the good that you're doing — it's another to lie to the consumer,” said Margaux Le Gallou of the Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS).
The western aviation industry is aiming to be truly "carbon neutral" by 2050. While the goal is ambitious, technological solutions are proving efficacy. Hydrogen fuel cells are now powering small aircraft and produce only water as a byproduct. Likewise, urban air mobility aircraft are powered largely by electricity, which can be as "green" or not depending on what charges the battery. Aircraft are now being partially lower-carbon biofuels. In addition, Honeywell in Phoenix recently announced a lower-carbon aviation fuel of its own made from hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide, which the company says reduces emissions by 88%.
Related: Air New Zealand and Embraer partner on zero emissions aircraft projects
Related: Virgin to fly 'net-zero' transatlantic Boeing 787
Related: How the bacteria in an all-sugar diet could bring the aviation industry closer to net-zero
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
