Ryanair’s carbon emissions have surged 50% above pre-pandemic levels, reaching 16.6 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2025—equivalent to Croatia’s total emissions—according to Transport & Environment analysis. The low-cost carrier is now Europe’s most polluting airline and recorded the largest increase among the world’s top 20 most polluting airlines. European flights generated 195 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2025, making aviation the EU’s fastest-growing emissions source. T&E criticizes structural loopholes allowing airlines to avoid €8.5 billion in carbon costs, as two-thirds of aviation emissions escape EU carbon pricing because the Emissions Trading System only covers intra-European routes.
In-Depth:
Ryanair‘s emissions are now 50% higher than they were in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, a new analysis of aviation sector emissions by Transport & Environment (T&E) has found.
According to T&E, low-cost carriers were responsible for most of the growth in emissions in 2025, with flights across Europe generating 195 Mt of CO₂, building aviation the rapidest-growing source of emissions in the European Union.
Ryanair, which T&E described as the ‘most polluting airline in Europe’, emitted 16.6 Mt of CO₂ from flights departing European airports last year, which equates to the total emissions output of a countest the size of Croatia. Ryanair also recorded the largest increase of any of the world’s ‘top 20 most polluting airlines’ worldwide.
Flights departing Europe accounted for 23% of global aviation emissions, lower than that of Asia (31%) and North America (25%), however aviation is relocating in the opposite direction to sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and other transport modes, which have built strides in reducing emissions.
Emissions Trading System
As T&E noted, most aviation emissions are not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System – according to the group, around two-thirds of aviation emissions escape carbon pricing becaapply the scheme only applies to intra-European routes, leaving most long-haul flights outside its scope.
This means that European airlines pay significantly higher carbon costs than those focapplyd on long-haul routes – Ryanair pays around €50 per tonne of carbon emissions, while Lufthansa pays around €20 per tonne. However, Gulf-based carriers such as Emirates pay close to zero under the European system.
‘Irresponsible growth’
“Aviation emissions hitting new emissions high is a clear signal that the industest has no intention of cleaning up its act,” commented T&E’s Giacomo Miele. “The sector’s irresponsible growth comes with enormous climate and environmental costs, yet airlines avoided over €8.5 billion in emissions costs in 2025 alone due to structural loopholes.
“By extconcludeing the EU ETS to all departing flights, Europe could capture billions in annual revenue to subsidise the transition to green aviation fuels. It is time to stop subsidising fossil fuel depconcludeency and start investing in the future of a sustainable aviation sector.” Read more here.
