
Aviation contributes 3.5% to the drivers of climate change that stem from humans - makerofspoons
https://phys.org/news/2020-09-aviation-contributes-drivers-climate-stem.html
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PaulHoule
The aviation industry points at this figure and says "hey, why are you
bothering us instead of the cement industry?"

one aspect is that aviation is a (long term) growth industry although the
players seem to think it's boring.

another is that paths to electrification are clear for the car but not so for
airplanes.

part of it is that technology is not just "thirsty for hydrocarbons" but it is
thirsty for the right kind of hydrocarbons. Back in the day we poisoned
ourselves with lead to get desirable burning characteristics from gasoline.
Methane is burned at the wellhead in places today because the price is so much
less than heavier hydrocarbons.

Methanol, Ethanol, 1-Butanol, Biodiesel, DME, and similar fuels are qualified
for use on the ground. Sustainable fuels for aviation use are maybe 30 years
behind where they are on the ground. There is still desperate talk of building
up the same hydrocarbons they use today via the Fischer-Tropsch process,
probably the greatest technological "white elephant" in human history.

