United States Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan
Abstract
The United States Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan (2015) provides an overview of the primary initiatives the United States Government (USG)—in partnership with the U.S. aviation industry—is undertaking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. aviation. The USG is committed to managing the carbon footprint of U.S. aviation while simultaneously enhancing the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). This commitment to reducing environmental impacts is reflected in an aspirational goal of achieving carbon=neutral growth for U.S. commercial aviation by 2020, using 2005 emissions as a baseline. Under the auspices of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), the USG has laid out plans and initiatives for improvements in technology and operations advances in development and deployment of sustainable alternative jet fuels; and policies, standards, and selective measures to incentivize transition of the fleet and airspace system. This action plan details the specific programs being pursued under these areas, their expected emissions impacts, and notable achievements thus far. The USG has prepared this plan as an update to the 2012 United States Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan. This plan includes both domestic and international aviation. The domestic reductions are reflected in the national contributions submitted by the United States to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This plan also discusses ongoing work to better understand and model the environmental impacts of aircraft, including climate impacts, and presents an analysis that projects the future environmental performance of the NAS and shows the potential for significant environmental benefit from the aviation system improvements that are described in the document.
Key elements of the action plan include:
- Aircraft and Engine Technology Improvement
- Operational Improvements
- Alternative Jet Fuels Development and Deployment
- Policies, Standards, and Measures
- Scientific Understanding and Modeling/Analysis