CO2 Equivalent

In the context of aviation, CO2 Equivalent (CO2e) is a standard unit for measuring carbon footprints. It expresses the impact of each different greenhouse gas in terms of the amount of CO2 that would create the same amount of warming. This is particularly relevant in aviation because aircraft engines emit not only CO2 but also other greenhouse gases like nitrogen oxides (NOx), water vapor, and particulates, which have a warming effect. The CO2e is used to provide a consolidated measure of the climate impact of these different emissions. For instance, one unit of methane is equivalent to 25 units of CO2 in terms of its warming potential, so it would be expressed as 25 CO2e. In aviation, the CO2e is used to calculate the total emissions from a flight, taking into account not only the CO2 emissions from the combustion of aviation fuel but also the other greenhouse gases emitted. This allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the environmental impact of aviation and is used in the development of strategies for reducing emissions and mitigating climate change.