EU ETS aviation emissions in the European Union 2012-2022
Aviation emissions under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) totaled 49.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO₂e) in 2022. During Phase 3 of the EU ETS, total verified aviation emissions increased from 84 MtCO₂e in 2012 to a high of 68.2 MtCO₂e in 2020. The following year, emissions plummeted 63 percent to 25.3 MtCO₂e. This dramatic reduction was due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry. Ryanair was consistently the most polluting airline in the EU for emissions covered by the EU ETS during Phase 3.
