REDUCING AIRLINE EMISSIONS INTENSITY WITH POLICY PACKAGES: A COMPARATIVE SYNTHESIS

This study examines how multi-layered policy packages relate to airline emissions intensity, measured as carbon dioxide per revenue passenger-kilometre (CO₂/RPK), for 2010–2025. A semi-systematic evidence synthesis and comparative policy analysis are employed. Five indicators are operationalised: cross-regime alignment, effective carbon price, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) adoption, monitoring–reporting–verification (MRV) capacity, and access to green finance. Results indicate that stronger alignment and coverage, higher effective carbon prices, and scaled drop-in SAF are directionally associated with lower CO₂/RPK; robust MRV and finance channels amplify these links. Operational optimisation in descent profiles and routing provides complementary short-term gains, whereas cross-regime differences can raise compliance costs. An implementation roadmap is outlined: operations, long-term multi-source SAF portfolios, green financing, and MRV automation. Reliance on secondary sources and directional inference is acknowledged as a limitation. The framework provides a practical basis for reading instrument mixes against CO₂/RPK and for designing policy-aligned, cost-aware transition strategies.