Mexico air cargo grows 6.5% but emissions per ton remain far above shipping and rail

Mexico's air cargo volumes rose 6.5% year over year in the first quarter of 2026 to over 300,000 tons, driven by nearshoring demand and airport expansions at AIFA, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. But the growth comes with a steep carbon cost: air freight emits roughly 602 grams of CO2 per ton-kilometer, compared to just 8 grams for maritime shipping and 22 grams for rail, according to IEA data cited in the article. While sustainable aviation fuels and electrification are in development, they account for less than 1% of global aviation fuel use. The article highlights a key tension for carbon markets and climate policy: air cargo's speed and reliability make it hard to replace for high-value goods, even as its carbon intensity dwarfs other modes. For anyone tracking logistics decarbonization or emissions accounting in supply chains, this is a concrete case of volume growth outpacing efficiency gains.