Fly green or die: EU urged to stop reforming and start investing in aviation

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The aviation industry is calling on the EU to shift focus from regulatory reforms to substantial financial investments in green technologies
• Industry leaders argue that sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other green innovations require billions in funding to scale up and meet emission reduction targets

🔭 The context: Aviation accounts for 4% of the EU's CO2 emissions, but decarbonizing the sector is more complex than for cars due to safety concerns and the high cost of alternatives like SAF, which is 3 to 4 times more expensive than traditional jet fuel

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Sustainable aviation is key to reducing global emissions, but current investments in SAF and air traffic optimization are insufficient to meet long-term climate goals, especially with growing competition from fast-expanding aviation markets in India and the Middle East

⏭️ What's next: The EU is expected to announce a Clean Industrial Deal within 100 days to fund green aviation initiatives
• The aviation sector is urging greater public-private investment to make sustainable technologies viable

💬 One quote: “If you want to produce SAF on an industrial scale, you're talking about billions,” said Alexander Kueper, VP for renewable aviation at Neste

📈 One stat: Eurocontrol estimates 70% of long-haul flights would require the energy output of 73 nuclear reactors to meet SAF targets by 2050

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