On February 21, 2024, the Federal Council endorsed a report focusing on achieving carbon neutrality in aviation by 2050. The report, initiated by the National Council’s Environment, Spatial Planning, and Energy Committee in 2021, responds to the call for sustainable flying practices.

With Switzerland’s recent approval of the Climate and Innovation Act in June 2023, the aviation sector is now part of the country’s net-zero emissions objective. The report outlines the necessity of substantial investments in research and development to realize this goal.

The key strategy highlighted in the report involves transitioning to Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) to curb carbon emissions. Additionally, improving the efficiency of aircraft fleets and operations will contribute to emissions reduction. However, the report suggests that hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft might offer limited emission reductions by 2050.

Existing measures, such as Switzerland’s emissions trading system, are already incentivizing emission reductions. Furthermore, new regulations under the CO2 Act will enforce blending Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) and provide subsidies to support the industry’s carbon-neutral efforts.

While these steps aim for a 70% reduction in carbon emissions from Swiss air traffic, achieving full carbon neutrality by 2050 will necessitate carbon sequestration technologies. The Federal Council commits to continuously monitoring aviation’s sustainability and integrating new findings into future actions, including addressing additional climate impacts like contrail formation.

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