Domestic and international aviation and shipping are key components of Europe's mobility system. They are both economic sectors that directly bring many societal and economic benefits, such as the delivery of a wide range of goods and services and provision of employment and mobility for personal leisure or business purposes. However, from the broader environmental perspective, both sectors are also seen as challenging, because increasing demand within each of the sectors is exerting increasing pressures on the environment and climate.
Their joint consideration in this Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM) 2017 report Aviation and Shipping - Impacts on Europe's Environment also reflects key similarities, opportunities and challenges between them. This year's report builds upon the more general assessment undertaken in 2016 by providing a more detailed analysis, also from a transitions perspective, of two transport modes important to the functioning of Europe's mobility system — international aviation and shipping.
This paper discusses the extent to which the predicted growth of aviation in a carbon-constrained world is possible given the known operational and technological options, and in particular the extent to which aviation biofuels form part of the answer.