Mayanna Berrin v. Delta Airlines, Inc.: Carbon Offsets, Greenwashing, and the Case for Consumer Protections Against Claims of Carbon Neutrality

24 Wake Forest J. Bus. & Intell. Prop. L. 196.

Commercial airlines account for over two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.  Airline carbon emissions have grown at an average of 2.3 percent annually since 1990 and are projected to continue snowballing in the coming years.  Despite the Biden Administration’s commitment to reduce airline emissions by twenty percent by 2030 and investment in cleaner and more sustainable jet fuels, the airline industry is falling behind other industries in the quest to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.  As travel demand increases and airlines expand their fleets, some projections suggest that the airline industry could make up for approximately five percent of global emissions by 2030.  This worrying trend is intensifying pressure on commercial airlines to swiftly reduce emissions.

In response to this increasing pressure, airlines have begun making their fleets more sustainable.  Several companies are exploring the integration of electric planes, and several players in the industry are investing in the development of more sustainable jet fuels.  To combat concerns surrounding the industry’s emissions, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents over 300 airlines globally, has announced plans for the airline industry to “fly net zero by 2050.” 

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