Airline emissions in Europe top pre-Covid levels despite pledge to decarbonise
SkimNews Take
The EU ETS only prices intra-EU flights, so long-haul growth and budget carrier expansion slip outside the carbon perimeter — meaning decarbonisation pledges are structurally capped by a regulatory boundary drawn before today's traffic patterns existed.
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- Ryanair emitted 16.6 Mt of CO₂ in 2025, roughly 50 % higher than its 2019 footprint, after carrying 200 million passengers.
- European aviation released 195 Mt of CO₂ from departing flights in 2025, a 2 % increase over pre‑COVID levels.
- EU ETS applies only to flights wholly within Europe, excluding long‑haul routes such as London‑New York, which generated 1.4 Mt of CO₂ in 2025.
- Ryanair pays about €50 per tonne of carbon under the ETS, while legacy carrier Lufthansa pays roughly €20 per tonne.
- Transport & Environment proposes extending the ETS to all departing flights, a move that could raise EU revenues to €4.1 bn by 2030 and fund sustainable‑aviation initiatives.
Why it matters: EU governments could capture up to €4 bn annually for climate actions, while airlines face higher carbon costs that may shift pricing and fleet decisions; passengers risk higher fares without meaningful emissions cuts.
