European flight emissions have risen 2% above 2019 levels, reaching 195 megatonnes of CO2 in 2025. The growth is largely attributed to the expansion of budget airlines, with Ryanair alone producing emissions equivalent to the annual output of Croatia. Critics argue that the European Emissions Trading System (ETS) contains significant loopholes by excluding long-haul international flights. This gap allows high-emission routes to avoid carbon charges, limiting the financial incentive for airlines to invest in sustainable aviation fuels.
