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When asked for comment, both the EPA and the Department of Energy addressed questions to the White House, but did not respond.

It highlights the concerns the challenge of cleaning up an industry came under increasing pressure to tackle its emissions. Aviation now accounts for about 3 to 4 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—it’s by far the most energy-intensive way to travel—and as airplanes become more efficient, increased flight demand has outstripped these developments.

Lauren Riley, general manager of global environmental affairs and sustainability at United Airlines, said the airline is looking for a more promising source of sustainable fuel: forest waste such as fallen branches or leftover leaves and stems from growing crops. On Thursday, the airline announced a joint multimillion-dollar investment with industrial giant Honeywell in a company that is developing a way to produce aviation fuel at scale from forest and crop waste.

“It’s a really exciting time for aviation,” Ms Riley said in an interview. He added that although he thinks the target set by the Biden administration is ambitious, we have an absolute chance of achieving or even exceeding these targets. However, a full accounting of the environmental impacts of using forest or crop waste will be forthcoming.

Experts highlight concerns such as how the EPA should oversee the development of sustainable fuels to ensure airlines use low-emission fuels. The companies are working on another promising fuel group called electrofuels, which are produced from a combination of hydrogen produced from renewable electricity and captured carbon.

To get airlines to use these low-emission biofuels, which are likely to cost more than jet fuel at the moment, experts say, the government should set imperatives, not voluntary targets. The European Union is currently moving forward with a sustainable fuel mandate for aircraft, with strict restrictions on the types of biofuels the industry must use.

But even improvements in fuel efficiency are unlikely to offset growth in air travel. Environmental groups have called on governments to require airlines to disclose emissions estimates for individual flights so consumers can make a more informed choice about which airlines to fly or which flights to take. Others have called for an end to frequent flyer programs, which they say encourage flying.

Finlay Asher, a former aircraft engine designer at Rolls-Royce and now campaigning for the aviation industry’s more aggressive climate action, said that although airlines have promised to reduce their emissions through new technologies such as more sustainable fuels, this is “not happening”. it happened. We need to try something else,” he said. “Really, we need to fly less.”