Milestone
This involves legal and financial experts drafting the foundational charter for a new global body. This blueprint will be based on stakeholder co-operation and resource sharing, not a top-down, penalty-based system.
Failure to complete this blueprint makes the Medium-Term goal of "ratifying a treaty" impossible. This delay would signal to the market that enforcement is not serious, causing private financing for new aircraft to dry up.
Scenario
Optimising together
Context Factor
A unified global regulatory, legal, and data framework for the net-zero transition and seamless air travel.
Timeline
Short term
PESTEL
Empower global institutions with a binding mandate for the net-zero transition.
This action involves convening member states to formally grant key bodies (e.g., ICAO) binding regulatory and enforcement powers, moving them beyond their current advisory-only status to create a single, level playing field.
Read moreDefine common digital and data standards for global aviation operations.
This involves establishing technical working groups to define a "universal language" for the new system. This includes creating a single, universal standard for tracking complex data, such as for 'Sustainable Aviation Fuel' (SAF) lifecycle tracking.
Read moreRatify a binding International Treaty for harmonized net-zero emission standards.
This is the formal diplomatic action where member states legally adopt the blueprints from the Short Term. This treaty will legally establish all harmonized standards, such as a single global mandate for 'cradle-to-cradle' circularity in aircraft design.
Read moreDefine a common global standard for calculating 'life cycle emissions values'.
This involves a global agreement on a single, transparent methodology to calculate all emissions, such as a mandatory, unified 'cradle-to-cradle' Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for all aircraft and fuels.
Read moreMeasure not yet developed by WP3. To be further detailed after 1 dec in future iterations.
Financial incentives to use the most sustainable travel option provides positive incentives to shift passenger behavior. This measure also indirectly motivates (air) transport operators to improve the sustainability of their offerings.
In the near future, governments set a minimum price for (non-sustainable) travel options. A more granular approach would be ticket levies that are differentiated based on sustainable performance. The gathered funds can subsidize sustainable travel alternatives. These incentives primarily target travelers who are sensitive to pricing but are not bound to a specific destination such as all-in convenience travelers and young travelers. Travelers who value sustainability are reinforced in their sustainable travel behavior.
Financial incentives to use the most sustainable travel option provides positive incentives to shift passenger behavior. This measure also indirectly motivates (air) transport operators to improve the sustainability of their offerings.
Part of the funds derived from taxations or market based measures can be used to co-invest with the travel industry in sustainable technological innovation. This helps airlines to offer sustainable travel options with a good passenger experience to a wider demographic including grey nomads, travel fanatics and ‘bleisure’ travellers. Airlines can then shift their business models from volume driven to (sustainable) value driven travel.
Measure not yet developed by WP3. To be further detailed after 1 dec in future iterations.
Multi modal journeys provides positive incentives to shift from a single (unsustainable) mode towards a more sustainable mix of transport modes.
In order for multi-modal journeys to work operators from different modalities should come together in a single forum to create an ecosystem including a secure platform for data sharing. (Inter-regional) governments can help set standards for this data exchange. Together the ecosystem can work towards a regional proof of concept or ‘minimum valuable product’ to demonstrate the value and potential of multi-modal travel. The minimal version of multi-modal travel is aimed at the younger generation who are tech-savvy, more open to test new forms of travel and are less concerned with increased travel time or uncertainty. To get them on board cost should be low and the destination experience offered should be unique.
“To move forward ... It will require refocusing the work of the EU on the most pressing issues, ensuring efficient policy coordination behind common goals, and using existing governance procedures in a new way that allow Member States who want to move faster to do so.” (The future of European competitiveness (2024), p. 17)
"Many different stakeholders contribute to the advancements in aircraft operations and reduced CO2 emissions making it a collaborative effort: airlines, ANSPs, airports, technology providers, maintenance companies, researchers, aircraft and engine manufacturers, policy makers etc." (Destination 2050, p. 72)