Civil Aviation Emissions in Argentina

Abstract

The impact of aviation on climate change is reflected in increasing emissions of CO 2 and other pollutants from fuel burning emitted at high altitudes, with important increase in the coming decades, after the strong retraction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, mitigation measures are urgently needed. In this context we present the monthly activity of the Argentine civil aviation (2001-2021), in terms of fuel consumption and atmospheric emissions from airlines and their respective used equipment’s for domestic and international flights. The replacement of conventional jet fuel by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced by local biomass is evaluated. The article also deals with some legal aspects for compliance with the CORSIA program.For domestic flights activity within Argentina reached 152 thousand flights with 16.42×10 9 RPK (Revenue-passenger-kilometer), consuming 560 kt of conventional jet fuel (CJF) and emitting 1.771 Mt of CO 2 in 2019; while RPKs grew almost 4 times from 2001 to 2019, flight numbers only changed 1.5 times. The efficiency indicators went from 290 to 119 kg CO 2 /passenger and from 308 to 107 gCO 2 /RPK between 2001 and 2019, respectively. International flights from/to Argentina reached maximum annual values ​​of 1.5 Mt CJF in 2019 and emitting 4.80 Mt of CO 2 in 2019. RPKs went from a minimum of 6.234×10 9 in 2001 to a maximum of 20.524×10 9 in 2017. The efficiency indicators improved from 1,590 to 820 kg CO 2 /pax and 529 to 240 gCO 2 /RPK between 2001 and 2019, respectively. Producing 875 kt/year of SAF for domestic consumption using 2 Mt of ethanol and 2 Mt of soybean oil, could reduce 1.10 Mt of CO 2 eq or 62% of domestic emissions could be reduced applicable to Kyoto Protocol or 60% if used in the CORSIA Program.