What is aviation fuel tax?

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

🗞️ Driving the news: Environmental campaigners are advocating for the introduction of aviation fuel taxes, given the significant carbon footprint of air travel
• Fuel tax, commonly applied to gasoline and diesel, is a government levy used to fund transportation infrastructure and eco-friendly initiatives 

🔭 The context: International aviation fuel remains untaxed due to historical treaties, leading to a disparity in the taxation of different transport modes, a policy dating back to the 1944 Chicago Convention

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Taxing aviation fuel could significantly impact the reduction of carbon emissions from air travel, accounting for 2% of annual global energy-related emissions
• The tax could discourage excessive flying, particularly among the small percentage of the population responsible for a large portion of aviation emissions

⏭️ What's next: There's growing momentum for introducing aviation fuel taxes, with proposals in the US and EU

💬 One quote: "An aviation fuel tax... could be just the ticket to make us stop and think about how — and how frequently we travel," (Holly Young, journalist)

📈 One stat: Aviation is currently responsible for 2% of annual global energy-related emissions, with predictions of triple-fold increase by 2050 without intervention

Click for more news covering the latest on sustainable mobility