adminJeffrey Gogo Climate Story
Zimbabwe that year, a report by ZERA, the energy regulator, shows. That’s roughly the equivalent of 16,9 million kg of carbon emissions. By comparison, more than 873 million litres of diesel were burnt, emitting carbon equal to 636 million kg. Overall, the transport industry in Zimbabwe accounts for just over 4,2 percent of the national emissions total, according to data from the Climate Ministry.
These figures do not account for those foreign airlines flying into Zimbabwe, which have dramatically increased in recent years, thanks to the airport expansions at Harare, Bulawayo and the Victoria Falls.
The airlines fly in their own share of emissions into Zimbabwe, as do Zimbabwean airlines landing in other countries.
So, accounting for emissions of international flights should be split equally between the country of departure and destination.
It’s as complicated as it is to understand the true impact of aeroplanes on the climate.
But this shouldn’t be tough for national carrier Air Zimbabwe that plies only three domestic routes and three regional.
Still, planes are generally more damaging to the environment compared to other modes of transport, more so for shorter flights because taking off and landing consumes more fuel compared to cruising, say experts.
And because flying allows one to travel far greater distances than they would, say by car.
The math here is simple: the further you travel, the greater the rate of emissions. Travelling by kombi or train instead of plane will reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by a factor of five or so, says Terrence Mushore, a climate expert with the University of Zimbabwe.
“As the nation becomes wealthier, the carbon footprint increases for each doubling of consumption,” said Mushore.
However, Zimbabwe’s economy has over the past decade largely remained muted, with a growth of 2,7 percent forecast this year.
However the number of both domestic and international air travellers in Zimbabwe has dropped to 301 000 in 2014 from a peak 790 000 in 1997, ICAO says.
Regardless, with over 200 airports and aerodromes spread countrywide, Zimbabwean authorities have always considered the aviation industry a key sector for driving economic growth. Now, they are angling to put that infrastructure to full effect. The $150 million expansion of the Victoria Falls Airport in the past three years has tripled passenger handling capacity to 1,7 million.
Similar changes have occurred at the Harare International Airport and at the Joshua Nkomo International Airport, which can now handle 2,5 million and 1,6 million passengers per year, respectively. It’s somewhat difficult to reconcile Zimbabwe’s plans for improved airline industry capacity with its mitigation plans.
The country aims to cut its emissions by 33 percent by 2030, under a business as usual scenario.
At the same time it predicts an increase in the number of airlines flying into the country, certain to push up the aviation industry’s obscure emissions.
New efforts
Greater engine efficiency can be expected for new generation planes in the future, but there doesn’t seem to be much that the global aviation industry could do to cut its 2 percent share of the world emissions total.
It cannot turn to electric engines, as has the car industry, because those type of engines are incapable of generating sufficient power to thrust the plane off the ground.
Some are experimenting with solar-powered engines, and there has been some success, but it could be decades before this technology is perfected for commercial use.
Yet, the environmental impact from flights is multi-faceted. In his book, The Rough Guide to Green Living, British researcher and author Duncan Clark argues that whereas airline industry carbon emissions might seem straightforward, the nitrous oxide, water vapour and soot generated by plane engines complicate things.
“At flying altitudes in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, these outputs produce a range of climatic effects, multiplying the plane’s environmental impact,” he says.
“For example, nitrous oxide causes the formation of ozone – a greenhouse gas that warms the local climate – but at the same time undergoes reactions which destroy methane, thereby removing another greenhouse gas from the atmosphere.”
Emirates, a global airline that flies daily between Harare-Lusaka and Dubai is now trying something new – the “aircraft drywash” cleaning technique – which it says can save thousands of litres of water per wash.
“In this technique, a liquid cleaning product is first applied manually to the entire external surface of the aircraft,” said Emirates, which operates a fleet of 250 planes, in an emailed statement.
“Clean microfibre fabric is then used to remove the cleaning product which has dried to a film, removing the dirt along with it and leaving the aircraft clean and polished.
“The aircraft is left with a fine protective film allowing the painted surface to retain a longer gloss and shine.”
Planes accumulate dust and grime on its outside surface during flight.
The dirt works as a drag to the plane, making it heavier and less aerodynamic. In this state, the aircraft consumes more fuel.
Traditionally aircraft are cleaned by using highly pressurised water between four to five times every year.
However, on an average Emirates says its new technique, in use since last year, uses more than 11 300 litres of water to clean one Airbus A380 aircraft and more than 9 500 litres of water to clean a Boeing 777 aircraft every time – substantially lower compared to conventional means.
In October, the global aviation industry committed to start taking steps to address emissions in the sector as demanded by the two degrees Celsius temperature goal under the Paris Agreement.
God is faithful.
Online Reporter