The Impact of COVID-19 on the Path to Climate Neutral Air Transport - An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

The COVID-19 crisis still has a firm grip on the aviation industry after global air traffic slumped to 66% below the previous year's level in 2020, and many airlines could only be saved from bankruptcy by special loans or direct state equity investments. At the same time, there is increasing pressure on airlines to accelerate the decarbonization of the sector. Recently, many countries, such as China, the EU, and the US have significantly tightened their climate targets. Air travel is considered a particularly damaging form of travel since before Greta Thunberg's "Friday for Future" movement. As a result, aviation will be expected to make a stronger contribution to decarbonization going forward. The question is how air transport, which has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, can succeed in converting to climate-neutral flying. An international survey conducted in the fall of 2020 with more than 220 aviation experts and senior managers provides interesting insights and concrete advice on how a path to climate-neutral air transport can be designed and which new risks need to be considered in particular on this path.

Keywords: Sustainable air transport, climate change, climate protection strategy, environmental policy

JEL Classification: L93, L98, Q50, Q58