European Parliament approves 70% of aircraft using UAS by 2050

The European Parliament on Wednesday approved revised legislation requiring aircraft using EU airports to use at least 2% sustainable fuel, such as advanced biofuels or renewable hydrogen, by 2025. The ultimate goal is to reach 70 % by 2050.

The text known as “RefuelEU”, agreed with the Member States through the EU Council and validated in the European Parliament by 158 votes in favor, 97 against and 8 abstentions, seeks to ensure that the aviation sector contributes to the objective of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and achieving climate neutrality by the middle of the century, according to the European Commission;n contribute to the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 and achieving climate neutrality by mid-century, according to the agency Efe Verde.

Specifically, aircraft will have to use at least 2 % of these fuels in 2025, 6 % in 2030, 20 % in 2035, 34 % in 2040, 42 % in 2045 and 70 % in 2050. They will also have to load up on synthetic fuels, such as electric kerosene, starting at 1.2 % in 2030 and rising to 35 % in 2050.

Sustainable aviation fuels

The new legislation classifies sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) as sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs);s) synthetic fuels, certain biofuels produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste, used cooking oil or certain animal fats.

In addition, from 2025 the EU will be equipped with a label to assess the environmental performance of flights that shows the estimated carbon footprint of the journey per passenger and the estimated CO2 efficiency per kilometer.

The text's rapporteur, Spanishñol liberal José Ramón Bauzá, described the revision as “a big step toward decarbonization”. There is no time to lose. In a complex and competitive world, I fully believe that ReFuelEU is a great opportunity to position the European Union as a world leader in the production and use of sustainable fuels in aviation," he added.

According to European Commission data, the aviation sector was responsible in 2017 for 3.8% of total EU CO2 emissions, despite emissions per passenger falling by 24% between 2005 and 2017, mainly due to a 60% increase in traffic in that period. In 2017, aviation generated 13.9 % of the transport sector's emissions. Descargar Documento