Alternative jet fuel slow to launch

The global aviation industry is committed to long-term carbon emission cuts, but low oil prices are slowing the development of alternative types of jet fuel

All oil-burning vehicles emit carbon dioxide, but none show it as dramatically as jet aircraft on a fine day. Without clouds to hide them, the patterns of vapour trails against a blue sky mark clearly the footprints of aircraft engine exhaust fumes. The aviation industry is aware of its image as an atmosphere polluter and has committed itself to cleaning up its act. From 2009 to 2020 fuel efficiency is being improved by 1.5% a year, mainly through the introduction of new and technologically advanced aircraft. In 2020, the industry has pledged to stabilise CO2 emissions through carbon-neutral growth. Then comes the big promise. By 2050, the 191 member countries of the International Civil Avia