A study of carbon dioxide emissions reduction opportunities for airlines on Australian international routes | download for quality grades

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Abstract According to United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, aviation accounts for 2% of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, with international aviation accounting for 1.3... % and by 2050, aviation will account for 3% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Over the next two decades passenger traffic and air cargo is expected to increase at up to 6% per annum. International flights generate both visible (e.g. con trails) and invisible (e.g. carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide) emissions across many countries and legal jurisdictions. International emissions were excluded from the Kyoto Protocol and article 2.2 directed The Parties in Annex I of the Protocol to work through United Nations International Civil Aviation Organisation in limiting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this thesis the focus is on carbon dioxide emissions since it is the largest greenhouse gas component in aviation emissions. Members of International Civil Aviation Organisation have adopted global aspirational goals for international aviation of limiting carbon emissions growth to neutral from 2020, including a yearly 2% fuel efficiency improvement. Members agreed to reduce emissions through non-market based measures such as improvements in airline operations, acquiring and updating to new technology, refuelling with sustainable fuel and implementing a global Market Based Measure scheme. At the 39th International Civil Aviation Organisation Assembly, a global carbon offsetting and reduction scheme for international aviation was presented that will be implemented from 2021. This thesis seeks to determine what combination of policies can be used to manage and reduce emissions from Australian international aviation. This thesis commences by estimating the total amount of carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide efficiency of airlines that were serving the Australian international market in 2012. Carbon dioxide efficiency is defined as the amount of carbon dioxide generated for each kilogram of payload flown over a kilometre where payload is the combined weight of passengers, luggage and freight. Qantas, Emirates and Singapore airlines were the top three emitters and AirAsia X and Cathay Pacific achieved the same carbon efficiency of 0.60 grams of carbon dioxide for each kilogram of payload flown over a kilometre and were the two most carbon efficient airlines. AirAsia X and Cathay Pacific utilised the same aircraft type but AirAsia X carried a higher number of passengers in their aircraft that is configured with more seats whereas Cathay Pacific configured the same aircraft with fewer seats but carried a higher amount of freight since Hong Kong is one the busiest airports for freight traffic. Emirates airline had the most carbon dioxide efficient long haul flights but was also the least carbon dioxide efficient on short flights to New Zealand due to low passenger numbers. [Show More]

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