Aviation greenhouse gas emissions

The aviation industry is at a pivotal moment in its decarbonisation journey. While it contributes approximately 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions1, challenges, such as high abatement costs, complex supply chains, and the dynamic nature of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) availability, make it difficult to reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions in this industry.

At the same time, the industry is experiencing growth. The International Air Transport Association predicts a 3.8% annual increase in passenger numbers, adding over 4 billion journeys2 by 2050. This growth underscores a dual challenge: meeting rising demand while reducing emissions and maintaining operational performance. 

SAF is widely recognized as an effective solution for reducing aviation’s carbon footprint today. However, adoption remains limited, representing just 0.3%3 of global jet fuel production, primarily due to high costs and supply chain complexities.

The challenge of indirect emissions in business travel

For many companies, indirect emissions make up a large portion of their carbon footprint and are hard to measure, manage and reduce. Business travel, especially air travel, is a significant contributor. Tackling these emissions is complex.  

Solutions like SAF and the book and claim model help companies with a clear, scalable pathway to credible business travel life cycle GHG emissions reductions4 from aviation.

About the book and claim model 

By using book and claim, companies can access the ability to financially support the use of SAF to lower overall life cycle green house gas emissions, even when SF is not physically available at their location.  This helps bridge the gap between a still concentrated SAF supply and a dispersed global demand and creates the potential for SAF demand scale-up. Thanks to its realistic potential to help inject and track physical SAF, book and claim models show interest for scaling of SAF, which can help in the investment and development of infrastructure for SAF blending and supply.

Book and claim also helps to connect customers throughout the value chain, encouraging multiple actors to address their Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions while helping distribute the associated costs. 

About Avelia

Avelia is the leading blockchain-powered book and claim solution with the aim of scaling SAF. Avelia helps businesses to access the benefits of SAF without being constrained by its physical availability at specific locations. 

As of 31 March 2025, more than 57 corporations and airlines had joined Avelia5 and over 900 retirements had been executed. This contributed to the injection of over 33 million gallons of SAF into the existing global fuel network at 17 airport injection points around the world,6 resulting in over 300,000 tonnes of CO2mi7 abated8, the equivalent of over 530,000 passengers flying from London to New York.9Avelia is evolving to an industry solution featuring multilateral governance, independent data hosting, and broader supplier choice. This evolution aims to better meet customer needs, accelerate SAF adoption, and provide companies with a clear, scalable pathway to credible business travel life cycle green house gas emissions reduction4 from aviation.

Shell at GBTA: Visit Shell at Booth 545

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Learn more about the role of SAF in decarbonising travel:

Watch this interview filmed at GBTA Convention 2024, featuring Shell Aviation President Raman Ojha and American Express GBT CEO Paul Abbott, who discussed their partnership on Avelia Raman Ojha | Paul Abbott from Shell Aviation | American Express GBT in the Broadcast Studio at GBTA

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Find out more about SAF’s role in business travel:

Watch our webinar to learn about the solutions and innovations helping corporates to reduce air travel emissions.

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  1. Aviation – IEA
  2. iata.org/en/iata-repository/publications/economic-reports/global-outlook-for-air-transport-june-2024-report/
  3. IATA – Disappointingly Slow Growth in SAF Production
  4. compared to conventional jet fuel
  5. Airline carriers and corporations who have signed on to Avelia include Alaska Airlines, Amex GBT, Aon, Bank of America, Cathay Pacific Airways, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Google LLC, Kintetsu World Express, JetBlue Airways, Rolls-Royce, British Cycling and Yokogawa among others.
  6. Airport injection point locations are Hong Kong, Le Havre France, Singapore Changi, Ontario (California), Los Angeles, Dubai, London Heathrow, London Stansted, Paris Orly, Stockholm Bromma, Stockholm Arlanda, Vancouver, Amsterdam Schiphol, Tokyo, Paris le Bourget, Narita International, Rotterdam The Hague.
  7. CO2e (equivalent) emissions includes CO2, CH4 and N2O. Life cycle GHG emissions are calculated on a well-to-wake basis and include feedstock production and collection; feedstock processing, transport, distribution and combustion of SAF. The well-to-wake emissions have been calculated as per the SAF’s verified life cycle GHG emissions intensity from the relevant sustainability certification scheme.
  8. Calculated based on representative life cycle GHG emissions intensities of neat SAF and conventional jet fuel, which may vary per production pathway and geographical region.
  9. The number of one-way long haul average passenger flights has been calculated based on the following assumptions, a flight distance between London and New York of 5541km, and an emissions factor for a long-haul flight of 0.102 kgCO₂e/passenger-km based on UK DEFRA 2022 emissions factors for corporate reporting.