Accounting for the carbon emissions from domestic air routes in China

Abstract

This study seeks to build a database of China's 413 main routes in 2018, which contains the carbon emission intensity of the leading aircraft types, the Climb/Cruise/Descent (CCD) carbon emissions of each airline and each route, and the probable emissions when the routes are straight. First, the Modified Fuel Percentage Method (MFPM) is applied to calculate the carbon emission intensity of main aircraft types at various distances. Next, the carbon emissions and the Revenue Passenger Kilometers of 413 routes and 40 airlines are calculated. Then the carbon emissions of the actual route and straight route are analyzed. Dali-Kunming and Joy Air have the most significant emission intensity among the routes and airlines. However, the excess emissions from the non-straight routes account for about 10.15% of the actual emissions.