Reducing Carbon Emissions in Civil Aviation

Civil aviation drives global economies by facilitating trade, innovation and jobs—more than 12 million in the U.S. alone ranging from infrastructure to implementation, generating $1.5 trillion for the U.S. economy in 2012. While innovations such as unmanned aircraft and commercial space exploration offer tremendous potential for growth, the benefits of air transportation must be balanced against aviation’s global impact on noise, air quality, water, climate change and energy security.

Recognizing that a patchwork of regulations around the world could negatively affect U.S. civil aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Policy, International Affairs and Environment (APL), with the support of Booz Allen, set out to seize the opportunity for global leadership.

Working together, the team created a data-driven approach to policy-making that would help the U.S. successfully negotiate a landmark global CO₂ resolution and determine the future of aviation worldwide.  

The combination of an energized global public and health and environmental concerns led the FAA to enlist the support of Booz Allen to establish ambitious national targets to reduce noise, air emission, CO₂ and jet fuel consumption. The goal was to ensure that civil aviation benefits were maximized while negative health, environmental and energy impacts to local communities were avoided.

During a 9-year period, Booz Allen worked closely with the FAA to establish a strategic framework, measurable targets, research programs, and practical international agreements. The program produced major impacts ranging from more energy-efficient flight procedures and alternative jet fuels to wing designs that reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Integrating capabilities from across the firm, we helped develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the FAA across five pillars: science and modeling, new aircraft technologies, renewable fuels, air traffic management improvements, and policy.

Our team helped establish a coalition of stakeholders from across industry, academia, government, and the public to develop measurable targets and processes to track progress. We collected and processed massive amounts of aviation data for detailed simulations of the global aviation system and provided the costs and benefits of policy alternatives for airlines, countries, and the global aviation system. These insights guided international negotiations in real time.

We drew from across the Booz Allen organization—environmental scientists and aerospace engineers, analytics and big data experts, systems development specialists, and strategic communications consulting leaders.