Listening: Carbon-neutral flying by 2050 is possible, says Swiss government
The Swiss aviation sector should be able to meet the country’s net-zero CO2 emissions target by 2050. But it must invest massively in research and development, according to a new report.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA
On Wednesday the Federal Council (executive body) approved a report on carbon-neutral flying by 2050 that sets out technical measures for climate-friendly aviation.
The use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will be the key measure to reduce fossil CO2 emissions, the government said in a press release in reply to a postulate from the House of Representative’s Environment Committee.
More
More
The Swiss firm that wants to power planes with green jet fuel
This content was published on
The Swiss company Synhelion is developing the world’s first industrial-scale plant to produce synthetic fuels from CO2, methane, water and sunlight.
Efficiency savings in aircraft fleets and operations will also play a role. But hydrogen-fuelled and electric aircraft can only marginally reduce emissions – at least up to 2050, the report’s authors stated.
Instruments already exist or are being developed to achieve Swiss climate objectives. The CO2 Act for the period after 2024 also provides for new mechanisms to encourage the aviation industry to act.
The federal government will introduce new subsidies to support the aviation industry in its efforts to become carbon neutral. With the existing instruments and those planned from 2025, the federal government can set a course for a 70% reduction in carbon emissions from Swiss air traffic, the report said. But in order to fully achieve the net-zero target by 2050, carbon sequestration and storage (negative emission technologies) is also required.
Translated from French by Deepl/sb
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles.
If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Bern biodiversity project brings boost for forest bees
This content was published on
More sunlit areas in forests can boost the number of wild bees – both in overall terms and in terms of species diversity.
Swiss president kicks off National Day celebrations on Rütli meadow
This content was published on
Several hundred people gathered on the Rütli in central Switzerland at midday on Friday to celebrate the national Swiss holiday, before Karin Keller-Sutter addressed the crowd.
US sets deadline for Novartis and other pharma firms to lower prices
This content was published on
US President Donald Trump says he has sent letters to Swiss giant Novartis and other pharma firms calling for lower drug prices in the United States – or face retaliation.
Around 25,000m3 of rockfall registered in Swiss village of Brienz
This content was published on
More rock has come loose in the eastern Swiss village of Brienz than initially assumed following rainfall last weekend, said a new situation report published on Friday.
Swiss government reacts with ‘great regret’ to new US tariffs
This content was published on
The Swiss government says it will continue to strive for a negotiated solution after the United States imposed 39% tariffs on the Alpine country.
Switzerland testing AI tools to make scarecrows more effective
This content was published on
The Swiss agricultural research centre Agroscope is testing an AI system to more effectively prevent damage to agricultural crops caused by crows and rooks.
UN in Geneva calls for reform of tariffs on plastics
This content was published on
The United Nations is calling for a reform of customs tariffs on plastics, which are lower than those imposed on alternatives, ahead of negotiations for a treaty to limit plastic pollution.
Two robots play hide-and-seek in space with Swiss help
This content was published on
Robots developed separately have worked together at the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time, helped in part by a control centre in Switzerland.
How sustainable fuels created from thin air could solve the energy crisis
This content was published on
Swiss scientists have built a mini solar refinery that produces synthetic fuel from just sunlight and air. The technology is now being scaled up.
Swiss research institutes join quest to find best green jet fuels
This content was published on
A new Swiss research initiative is investigating ways to produce fuel from renewable resources, but scaling up will be a challenge.
The Swiss firm that wants to power planes with green jet fuel
This content was published on
The Swiss company Synhelion is developing the world’s first industrial-scale plant to produce synthetic fuels from CO2, methane, water and sunlight.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.