Airline emissions in Europe top pre-Covid levels despite pledge to decarbonise

"Emissions from flying in Europe have now passed pre-pandemic levels, with Ryanair's carbon footprint 50% higher than in 2019, research has shown. Total aviation emissions continue to increase despite industry pledges to decarbonise and the introduction of more fuel-efficient planes, driven by the massive expansion of low-cost carriers."

"According to analysis by thinktank Transport & Environment (T&E), Ryanair's CO emissions alone in 2025 reached 16.6 megatonnes (Mt) of CO around the same amount as the total annual emissions of a small European country such as Croatia. The airline carried just over 200 million passengers in 2025, compared with 140 million in 2019."

"Although the EU and the UK have tried to manage some of the environmental costs through the emissions trading system (ETS), T&E said the system does not price in most of the sector's pollution, as it only includes flights entirely within Europe. That means long-haul flights on legacy carriers' aircraft, which burn more fuel, are outside its scope."

"T&E wants the carbon market extended to all departing flights to raise more public revenue and accelerate aviation's slow decarbonisation. Such a move, it said, could quadruple the 4.1bn raised for EU states by 2030, and fund production of sustainable aviation fuel and measures to avoid contrails, the plumes of cloud formed by planes in certain conditions that could exacerbate global heating."

Emissions from flying in Europe have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Ryanair’s carbon footprint is 50% higher than in 2019, and its CO emissions in 2025 reached 16.6 megatonnes, comparable to the annual emissions of a small European country. Ryanair carried just over 200 million passengers in 2025, up from 140 million in 2019, while total European aviation emissions from departing flights reached 195Mt, 2% higher than before Covid. The EU and UK emissions trading system does not price most aviation pollution because it covers only flights entirely within Europe, leaving many long-haul emissions outside scope. Extending the carbon market to all departing flights could raise more revenue and fund sustainable aviation fuel and contrail-avoidance measures.

Read at www.theguardian.com