Time to turn the tide on carbon

There has never been more carbon dioxide recorded in the atmosphere than there was in May 2021.There has never been more carbon dioxide recorded in the atmosphere than there was in May 2021. That was the stark findings of the latest data on atmospheric CO2 from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.This record high was hit despite a dip in emissions last year related to the COVID-19 pandemic which saw emissions down 5.8% year on year, reports the The New York Times, which also reported human activity emitted 31 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2020. Clearly, despite making significant progress in finding clean energy sources, we need to act now to find ways to eliminate carbon emissions as much as possible in every sector and turn the tide on carbon.At FlyZero, we’re setting out to identify the future technologies and opportunities for the UK to develop a new generation of zero-carbon emission commercial aircraft. The sooner we develop these zero-carbon emission aircraft technologies the sooner we can enjoy their benefits both environmentally and economically.That’s why our team of engineers are currently working at pace to create ‘scout’ aircraft concepts and assess them against requirements with the aim of identifying three concepts to develop in detail in the months ahead. These aircraft concepts will also act as a vehicle to develop the manufacturing roadmaps, economic analysis and sustainability assessments needed to help the UK stand at the forefront of sustainable aviation in future.ReferencesCarbon Dioxide in Atmosphere Hits Record High Despite Pandemic Dip, New York Times, Brad Plumer, 7 June 2021 National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)Scripps Institution of Oceanography