World Economic Forum Launches Target True Zero to Reduce Aviation Emissions

Target True Zero is an initiative designed to identify avenues to speed up efforts to attain zero emissions from aviation. Initiated by the World Economic Forum, Target True Zero is expected to lean heavily toward electric and hydrogen power to wean aviation from traditional fossil fuels.

Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) is another technology that airlines, in particular, have committed to. In fact, European legislation introduced recently mandates SAF requirements along with other ways of working toward zero-emissions aircraft.

Currently, global aviation accounts for some 2.5 percent of CO2 emissions, overall, but its effect on global warming can be as much as 3.5 percent when taking into account other gases and pollutants, said the WEF. And according to one study cited in the announcement, the aviation market is on track to expand by 7.6 percent in the next five years.

Target True Zero will look at technology, industry dynamics, infrastructure, supply chain, regulation and public acceptance in its quest to move toward its namesake goal. Later this year, the program will present its research results and lay out a pathway for industry at the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.