and released 920 million metric tons of CO2.

並釋放了9.2億公噸的二氧化碳。

Then COVID hit.

然後，COVID來了。

Planes were grounded, borders were shut down, and the air temporarily cleared…

飛機被停飛，邊境被關閉，空氣暫時得到淨化......

giving us time to contemplate all of the ways we're impacting Earth.

讓我們有時間去思考我們影響地球的所有方式。

So, when the airline industry does make its comeback, will it be able to do so in an environmentally friendly way?

是以，當航空業真的捲土重來時，它是否能夠以環保的方式進行？

Pre-COVID, aviation was one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions,

在COVID之前，航空是增長最快的溫室氣體排放源之一。

rising by about 2% every year since 2000.

自2000年以來，每年上升約2%。

If it were a country, global aviation would rank in the top 10 greenhouse gas emitters,

如果它是一個國家，全球航空業將排在溫室氣體排放的前10位。

ahead of Brazil, Mexico, and the UK.

領先於巴西、墨西哥和英國。

And with its fuel consumption expected to triple over the next 25 years,

而在未來25年內，其燃料消耗預計將增加兩倍。

some governments aren't waiting to take action.

一些政府並沒有等待採取行動。

In June of 2020, the UK government established the JetZero Council,

2020年6月，英國政府成立了JetZero理事會。

part of a post-pandemic green recovery plan that includes the adoption of sustainable technologies

大流行病後綠色恢復計劃的一部分，包括採用可持續技術

to reach the goal of zero-emission flights by 2050.

以達到在2050年實現零排放飛行的目標。

Meanwhile, the French and Dutch governments have tied COVID bailout money for Air France-KLM

與此同時，法國和荷蘭政府將COVID的救助資金與法航-荷航的救助資金掛鉤

to a reduction in carbon emissions.

以減少碳排放。

But how will the global airline industry reach these sustainability goals

但是，全球航空業將如何實現這些可持續發展目標？

while grappling with the massive financial hit from COVID?

同時努力應對COVID帶來的巨大財務打擊？

Well, one of the easiest ways could be to re-think our fuel source.

那麼，最簡單的方法之一可能是重新思考我們的燃料來源。

Sustainable aviation fuel, also known as SAF, is a cleaner substitute for dirty fossil fuels.

可持續航空燃料，也被稱為SAF，是骯髒的化石燃料的清潔替代品。

Unlike traditional fuel like petroleum, SAF is made from waste…

與石油等傳統燃料不同，SAF是由廢物製成的。

animal fats, sea scum, lawn clippings, even food scraps!

動物脂肪、海洋浮渣、草坪碎屑，甚至是食物殘渣!

These alternative fuels are chemically similar to petroleum-based jet fuel.

這些替代燃料在化學上類似於石油基噴氣燃料。

Once SAF is combined with conventional fuel, it forms a “blend,” which can be “dropped” right into the fuel tank

一旦SAF與傳統燃料結合，就會形成一種 "混合物"，可以直接 "扔 "進油箱。

without making any adjustments to the aircraft.

沒有對飛機進行任何調整。

Several pioneering companies are furthering SAFs adoption and helping airlines kick their fossil fuel habit for good.

一些先鋒公司正在推動SAFs的採用，並幫助航空公司永遠戒除化石燃料的習慣。

One contributor is Lanzatech, a Chicago-based biotech start-up.

一個貢獻者是Lanzatech，一家位於芝加哥的生物技術創業公司。

In 2018, they began operating the world's first commercial plant converting industrial waste gases to fuel.

2018年，他們開始營運世界上第一個將工業廢氣轉換為燃料的商業工廠。

Their secret sauce is genetically-modified microbes from rabbit poop.

他們的祕方是來自兔子糞便的轉基因微生物。

Lanzatech is also working with China's leading iron and steel company to ferment carbon monoxide from steel mills.

Lanzatech還在與中國領先的鋼鐵公司合作，發酵鋼廠的一氧化碳。

Microbes transform carbon monoxide to make ethanol, like yeast does with sugars when making beer.

微生物轉化一氧化碳來製造乙醇，就像酵母在製造啤酒時對糖的作用。

This ethanol is then heated in the presence of a catalyst, a substance that speeds-up a reaction,

然後，這種乙醇在催化劑（一種能加速反應的物質）的存在下被加熱。

and converted it into the same hydrogens and carbons that make up traditional fuel.

並將其轉化為構成傳統燃料的相同的氫和碳。

In 2018, Virgin Atlantic successfully used Lanzatech jet fuel on a commercial transatlantic flight.

2018年，維珍航空在一次跨大西洋的商業飛行中成功使用了Lanzatech噴氣燃料。

In Sweden, another company, Renfuel, is tapping the forest for inspiration.

在瑞典，另一家公司Renfuel正在從森林中獲取靈感。

Lignin is a natural polymer that gives trees their strength, but it's also considered a waste product in the paper industry.

木質素是一種天然的聚合物，使樹木具有強度，但它也被認為是造紙業的一種廢物。

Renfuel is converting this material into an oil called LIGNOL, to give it a second life as biofuel.

Renfuel公司正在將這種材料轉化為一種名為LIGNOL的油，以使其作為生物燃料獲得第二次生命。

One of the world's largest financiers of green business, is backing the development of a lignin plant

世界上最大的綠色商業金融家之一，正在支持一個木質素工廠的發展。

that's expected to produce 185,000 tonnes of LIGNOL a year.

預計每年可生產18.5萬噸的LIGNOL。

It's going to go...you guessed it! Right next to a paper mill.

它要去......你猜對了!就在一個造紙廠旁邊。

The plant will be ready in 2021.

該工廠將在2021年準備就緒。

In the Netherlands, a sustainable fuel company, SkyNRG is taking carbon recycling to another level.

在荷蘭，一家可持續燃料公司SkyNRG正在將碳回收利用提高到另一個水準。

As part of a study, they're working with Climeworks to take CO2 directly from the air and convert it into jet fuel.

作為一項研究的一部分，他們正在與Climeworks公司合作，直接從空氣中提取二氧化碳並將其轉化為噴氣燃料。

We've mentioned Climeworks on this channel before; at their Iceland pilot plant, they're capturing CO2 and injecting it into rock!

我們以前在這個頻道上提到過Climeworks；在他們的冰島試驗工廠，他們正在捕捉二氧化碳並將其注入岩石！"。

So, if green aviation tech is here, why aren't we flying guilt-free and green?

那麼，如果綠色航空技術已經到來，為什麼我們沒有無愧於心的綠色飛行？

For starters, there's still not enough incentive for airlines to use new technologies.

首先，對航空公司來說，仍然沒有足夠的動力來使用新技術。

Sustainable aviation fuel costs at least twice as much as traditional jet fuel.

可持續航空燃料的成本至少是傳統航空燃料的兩倍。

Fuel already accounts for up to 30 percent of an airline's operating cost.

燃油已經佔到了航空公司營運成本的30%。

So, for more airlines to use sustainable fuel, it'll need to become less expensive.

是以，為了讓更多的航空公司使用可持續燃料，它將需要變得更便宜。

Because issues like cost have hindered the adoption of SAF, governments are using policy to regulate aviation emissions.

由於成本等問題阻礙了SAF的採用，政府正在利用政策來規範航空排放。

They're introducing SAF mandates, considering fuel taxes, and promoting innovation.

他們正在引入SAF授權，考慮燃油稅，並促進創新。

One thing that seems abundantly clear is we can't do business as usual.

有一件事似乎非常清楚，那就是我們不能像往常一樣做生意。

One of the biggest factors in the adoption of sustainable aviation... is us.

採用可持續航空的最大因素之一...是我們。

By choosing to support companies and policies that encourage a low carbon footprint, we can all do our part to help save the planet.

通過選擇支持鼓勵低碳足跡的公司和政策，我們都可以為幫助拯救地球盡一份力。

Let me know if you liked this video down in the comments below.

如果你喜歡這個視頻，請在下面的評論中告訴我。

Be sure to subscribe and I'll see you next time on Seeker.

請務必訂閱，我們下次在Seeker上見。