Carbon Leakage in the Aviation Sector: Is it a problem, and if so, what can be done to address it? - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica examines the issue of carbon leakage in the aviation sector, particularly in relation to the European Union’s climate policies such as the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Fit for 55 package. Carbon leakage occurs when emissions shift outside regulated areas to avoid compliance costs, for example, passengers choosing connecting flights through non-EU hubs like Istanbul, Doha, or Dubai to bypass EU climate charges. However, recent analyses commissioned by Transport & Environment (T&E) and conducted by CE Delft and Lexavia Aviation Consultants reveal that the risk of carbon leakage in aviation is minimal. At most, only about 3% of the expected 38.4 million tons of CO2 emissions savings by 2035 could be lost due to leakage, indicating that EU climate measures remain largely effective. The risk is mainly concentrated on a few long-haul routes, and expanding the EU ETS to all departing flights would only marginally increase ticket prices by 2-6%, with non-E