Supersonic passenger aircraft may be returning — here’s what it would mean for the climate

There is every indication that supersonic planes are on their way back, more than two decades after Concorde last took to the skies. How will this affect the aviation industry’s ability to meet its ambitious net zero by 2050 target?

Boom Supersonic's Overture Aircraft. American Airlines has agreed to buy up to 20 supersonic jets. Recent noise improvements pave the way for Boom Supersonic to progress this 80-seat supersonic airliner. File picture: Boom Supersonic via AP

The US aerospace company Boom Supersonic recently announced it has successfully tested its latest aircraft, the XB-1. The company is developing a larger plane and aims to begin passenger flights at supersonic (faster than sound) speed within the next five years, and claims it already has orders from a handful of airlines.

However, with ever-increasing scrutiny on the environmental consequences of flying, how would supersonic aviation affect the industry’s ability to meet its ambitious net zero by 2050 target?