As Australia's aviation sector regains momentum, reducing its carbon footprint is critical. The sector's emissions now exceed those of all Australian buses and trucks combined, and domestic aviation emissions tripled between 1990 and 2019. Meanwhile, Australian airlines are pushing toward net zero by 2050, introducing fuel-efficient aircraft and operational improvements to reduce CO₂ per flight. With such high stakes, revisiting the Aviation Reimagined webinar series is timely - its content remains a vital resource for anyone working in sustainable aviation.
A five-year conversation
The Aviation Reimagined - Contextualising Decarbonisation webinar series ran annually from 2020 to 2024 and created a unique platform for evidence-based dialogue on aviation's low-carbon future. Hosted by the Griffith Institute for Tourism and facilitated by Professor Susanne Becken, Dr Emma Whittlesea, Professor Tim Ryley and Dr Bojana Spasojevic, the series brought together national and international voices from research, government, and industry.
Over its five-year span, the series engaged hundreds of participants in conversations spanning economics, regulation, science, technology, and social justice. More than 350 people joined the 2024 discussions alone, reflecting growing momentum for aviation decarbonisation.
Exploring the pathways to low-carbon flight
Each year featured timely and often provocative sessions, exploring not only the technical possibilities of decarbonisation but also its regulatory, financial, and societal dimensions. Highlights included:
- Policy leadership and industry innovation - from Sweden's crisis leadership to the UK's Jet Zero Council, and New Zealand's push toward electric regional aviation.
- Aircraft of tomorrow - showcasing pioneering efforts such as Heart Aerospace's 19-seat all-electric regional airliner, hydrogen fuel cell aircraft prototypes, and proposals for 100-seat zero-emission jets by 2030.
- Transforming airports - exploring net zero strategies across Europe and Asia-Pacific, sustainable investment as a licence to operate, and the future of "smart" airports ready to accommodate new technologies.
- Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) - with global experts unpacking the challenges of scaling production, aligning regulation, and ensuring credibility in the supply chain.
- Advanced air mobility - debating the opportunities and complexities of eVTOLs, vertiports, and infrastructure for urban air mobility.
- Science matters - separating myth from fact on aviation's climate effects, including the impact of contrails, limits of carbon offsetting, and climate risk for airlines.
- Social benefits and climate justice - examining how low-carbon travel could transform accessibility, credibility, and public trust in the aviation sector.
These sessions underscored that aviation's decarbonisation is not just a technological challenge but also an economic, regulatory, and social one.
Bridging research, policy and practice
Professor Susanne Becken from the Griffith Institute for Tourism said the series aimed to bridge academic insight with the practical needs of industry and government.
"Aviation is often portrayed as one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise, yet it is also one of the most critical to get right."
"This series created a forum where diverse stakeholders could share knowledge, debate evidence, and identify opportunities for collaboration."
Delivered in partnership with Griffith's Climate Ready Initiative, Griffith Aviation, and the Griffith Institute for Tourism's Climate Change Action Cluster, the webinars became a go-to forum for advancing sustainable aviation debates across Australia and beyond.
Access the recordings
For those who missed the live events - or want to revisit key insights - Griffith University has made a partial collection of webinar recordings and presentation slides available online. These remain a valuable reference for policymakers, professionals, educators, and students seeking to understand the shifting landscape of sustainable air travel.
Looking ahead
Although the series concluded in 2024, its legacy continues. The insights shared through Aviation Reimagined highlight both the complexity and the enormous potential of aviation's transition to a low-carbon future.
As global attention turns to milestones such as the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games - events that will place aviation and climate action firmly under the spotlight - these conversations are as relevant as ever.
Explore the collection of Aviation Reimagined presentations and recordings on the Griffith Institute for Tourism website - Aviation Reimagined Webinar Series.
