Researchers identify the social impacts of making and using biofuels for aviation to investigate their sustainability.
Introduction
Jet fuel powers airplane engines, allowing planes to transport people from one place to another. Currently, commercial airplanes use jet fuel that comes from fossil fuels. These are not sustainable resources. One reason is because society is using them at a rate that is faster than Nature can make them. Plus, burning fossil fuels harms the environment. It produces greenhouse gases and air pollutants. These negatively impact human health and biodiversity.
An alternative to fossil fuel-based jet fuel is plant-based jet fuel. People produce plant-based jet fuels by processing plants or plant residues. The most common plants used to make plant-based jet fuel are maize, wheat, and canola.
To make plant-based jet fuel sustainable, people need to analyze it from three perspectives. The economic perspective thinks about the cost of the fuel. The environmental perspective thinks about the effects the fuel has on ecosystems. The social perspective thinks about effects on people’s health and well-being. When the use of a resource meets the needs of all three perspectives, it is sustainable.
Most research about plant-based jet fuels focuses on the environmental and economic perspectives. But the social perspective is also important! What are the social indicators needed to change to plant-based jet fuel? We reviewed existing research to find out!
Methods
We reviewed 121 articles. We found them in scientific journals and government databases. We also analyzed reports written by international agencies. One of these agencies is the United Nations (UN). The articles came from countries all over the world. All the articles were from the years 2014 to 2024.
Results
Our review identified six social indicators. These help check the social sustainability of using plant-based jet fuels. The social indicators were food security, health and safety, worker rights, equity, community engagement, and cultural diversity. Plant-based jet fuel will be sustainable if it can address questions asked for each indicator. Examples of these questions include:
Food security: Does the production of plant-based jet fuel affect the amount of food available for people to eat?
Health and safety: Does using plant-based jet fuel reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution levels? Does the industry provide green space near the factories that produce the plant-based jet fuel?
Worker rights: Do people making plant-based jet fuel have good working conditions? Do they work in places that are healthy and safe?
Equity: Can people from different backgrounds get jobs in the plant-based jet fuel industry? Do men and women have equal access to jobs to produce and use plant-based jet fuels?
Community engagement: Do people at local and regional levels work together to produce plant-based jet fuel?
Cultural diversity: Do people from different cultures work together? When they do, do they exchange their traditions and values?
Each of these social indicators matches one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The purpose of these goals is to reach worldwide sustainability by 2030. The aviation industry wants to be sustainable by 2050.
Discussion
The development of a sustainable plant-based jet fuel industry is possible. But it requires that people design this new industry with the key social indicators in mind. For example, the production of plant-based jet fuels has the potential of creating up to 40 million new jobs. Many of these jobs will require special skills. That means people need to attend training programs. These programs need to have equity. The programs need to be available to people of different backgrounds and genders.
People also have the right to a healthy work environment. As the industry develops, plant-based jet fuel companies need to make sure they have health and safety rules in place. These rules need to make sure that people do not get sick while working with the chemicals needed to make plant-based jet fuel. They also need to make sure that people do not get injured while working.
Another important consideration is trade-offs. A trade-off is a decision that requires you to give up one thing in order to achieve another. The main trade-off in the plant-based jet fuel industry relates to food security. Food security exists when all people always have access to food. This food needs to be nutritious and promote good health. Crops used for food are also used to make plant-based jet fuels. Also, crops need land and water to grow. That means there is also a trade-off for land and water. If people use land and water to grow crops for jet fuel, then this land and water is not available for other things. That means that society needs to figure out how to balance the need for food with the need for energy. Research can help figure out how to balance these competing needs.
Conclusion
Plant-based jet fuels are a good reminder about the importance of different perspectives. They also show that sometimes one or two perspectives overshadow others. With plant-based jet fuels, people tend to focus on the economics and environmental impacts. But the social factors are just as important. You can apply this lesson when you make decisions in your everyday life. Make sure to consider the perspectives of everyone involved. And don’t forget the less obvious ones. Considering all this information will help you be confident in your decision. It will help make sure that you are doing what is best for everyone.
