First-ever global emissions reduction target for aviation
A United Nations panel has set out the first-ever emissions reduction standards for the air industry, which will affect all new aircraft types by 2020.
All existing aircraft designs already in production will have to comply with the new targets by 2023.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said any planes that don’t meet new standards by 2028 would be grounded indefinitely.
However, the standards, which were agreed after six years’ of talks, must still be approved by ICAO’s governing council later this year.
Aircraft account for about 2% of all carbon emissions globally but that rises to 3% in the US.
It has been welcomed by the White House with a spokesman saying it ‘is a big deal, a big step forward.’
However environmental groups say the measures don’t go far enough.
"These standards set the bar embarrassingly low, ensuring that almost all aircraft will already meet the requirements well before they go into effect in 2023. The aviation industry is sandbagging, which seriously hinders our efforts to meet the commitments we made in Paris," said Sarah Burt, a lawyer with Earthjustice.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
Overseas travelers to the United States declined by 2.5% in 2025