Airline emissions in Europe top pre-Covid levels despite pledge to decarbonise
Key takeaways
- Prefer the Guardian on GoogleEmissions from flying in Europe have now passed pre-pandemic levels, with Ryanair’s carbon footprint 50% higher than in 2019, research has shown.
- Total aviation emissions continue to increase despite industry pledges to decarbonise and the introduction of more fuel-efficient planes, driven by the massive expansion of low-cost carriers.
- The airline carried just over 200 million passengers in 2025, compared with 140 million in 2019.
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The T&E thinktank says that although the EU and the UK have tried to manage environmental costs via the emissions trading system, the scheme does not price in most of the sector’s pollution, as it only includes flights entirely within Europe. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PAView image in fullscreen The T&E thinktank says that although the EU and the UK have tried to manage environmental costs via the emissions trading system, the scheme does not price in most of the sector’s pollution, as it only includes flights entirely within Europe. Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PAAirline emissionsAirline emissions in Europe top pre-Covid levels despite pledge to decarbonisePromises to cut emissions and use more fuel-efficient planes fail to stop rise, with Ryanair’s carbon footprint 50% up on 2019
Prefer the Guardian on GoogleEmissions from flying in Europe have now passed pre-pandemic levels, with Ryanair’s carbon footprint 50% higher than in 2019, research has shown.
Total aviation emissions continue to increase despite industry pledges to decarbonise and the introduction of more fuel-efficient planes, driven by the massive expansion of low-cost carriers.