It has been some time since decarbonization in aviation became a central goal for global authorities. The industry itself has set a target to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. For the first time, concrete legal measures have now been approved that will require European countries to adopt sustainable fuels to meet these objectives. The European Parliament approved the RefuelingEU legislative review this week, aiming for a 70% reduction in emissions by 2050 by mandating aircraft operating at EU airports to use at least 2% sustainable fuel by 2025 and 6% by 2030, with the broader objective of aligning aviation with climate goals.
In the document, agreed with Member States through the EU Council and endorsed by the European Parliament with votes in favour, against, and abstentions, the aim is to ensure the aviation sector contributes to cutting CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality around mid-century. The plan outlines a phased deployment of sustainable fuels across the sector, signaling a clear shift toward lower-emission aviation practices.
Aircraft will be required to meet incremental targets for the share of sustainable fuels: 2% in 2025, 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035, 34% in 2040, 42% in 2045, and 70% in 2050. The framework also promotes the use of synthetic fuels, including electronic kerosene, which is projected to start at 1.2% in 2030 and rise to 35% by 2050.
A big step toward decarbonization
The new legislation defines fuels as sustainable aviation fuels, including biofuels produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, biowaste, used cooking oil, or certain animal fats. Beginning in 2025, the European Union will also introduce a labeling system that shows the estimated trip carbon footprint per passenger and the estimated CO2 efficiency per kilometer to assess the environmental performance of flights.
The text’s spokesperson, José Ramón Bauzá, a member of a liberal political group, described the review as a major move toward decarbonization. He stressed that there is no time to waste and that ReFuelEU presents an opportunity for the European Union to lead globally in the production and use of sustainable fuels for aviation.
European Commission data indicate that aviation accounted for 3.8% of total CO2 emissions in the EU in 2017, with emissions per passenger declining by about 24% between 2005 and 2017, a period marked by a 60% increase in air traffic. In that year, aviation contributed 13.9% of emissions from the transportation sector.
Full text approved: Parliament briefing on the ReFuelEU legislative review. This briefing provides the context, the targets, and the anticipated impact on aviation emissions. (Attribution to the European Parliament briefing on ReFuelEU)
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Notes: The environmental department contact information has been removed in accordance with publication standards.