Global Aviation Industry Agrees on 'Carbon Neutrality by 2050' Goal

At the Korean Air maintenance hangar in Unseo-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon, officials are cleaning the engine of a Boeing 747-8i aircraft to welcome spring. Engine cleaning lowers the exhaust gas temperature by 2°C and improves fuel efficiency, resulting in an annual reduction of approximately 190 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. / The photo is not directly related to the article. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has agreed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aircraft by 2050 to achieve carbon neutrality (Net-ZERO).

According to major foreign media, the 193 member countries of ICAO reached this agreement at the 41st ICAO Assembly held on the 7th (local time) in Montreal, Canada.

Under the agreement, to achieve carbon neutrality, these countries must invest hundreds of billions of dollars in fuel-efficient aircraft and eco-friendly fuels. They must also eliminate aircraft fuel subsidies and halt airport expansion plans and airline services such as mileage programs.

This marks a step forward from the previously superficial level of greenhouse gas reduction plans in the aviation industry.

Greenhouse gases emitted by civil aircraft accounted for 3% of global emissions as of 2019. Until the sharp decline in flights caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, greenhouse gas emissions from civil aviation increased by more than 30% over ten years. Many aviation companies have only responded passively to this issue, such as by simply planting trees or using technologies whose emission reduction effects have not yet been properly proven.

They were also not subject to the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 to limit the global average temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.

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