Global Air Travel Surges While Switch to Clean Jet Fuel Use Lags

Global air travel surged to record levels last year, and airlines are consuming far less sustainable jet fuel than expected. This is a dire combination in the effort to counteract climate change, with aviation contributing about 4% of human-induced warming to date.

Most carriers have vowed to address their growing contribution to greenhouse gas emissions by using vastly more fuels derived from lower-emitting sources like used cooking oil and energy crops. Air France-KLM, Delta Air Lines Inc., and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. are among a large group of airlines promising to consume 10% sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, by 2030. ...