Emission Impossible

This is a race. A race against an existential threat.

Engineering the Future: Zero-Emission Flight with Emission Impossible

This is a race between climate change and ZeroAvia, a maverick tech start-up in a sleepy, picturesque part of the West of England.

With time running out before we reach global tipping points, aviation is one of the only large carbon emitters with no proven Plan B.

In this film we meet the global team of specialist engineers creating a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel powered commercial flight. Fast. What drives them, what are the challenges and will they achieve Emission Impossible?

A Call for Bold Solutions

The film’s core message is that bold leadership and radical solutions are vital to confronting the climate crisis. Through stunning visuals of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric flight and insightful interviews with key figures, we see how engineering innovation is driving immediate action in aviation—one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise.

Support and Global Reach

With generous support from Hotdocs and SAP as part of the Roads to Regeneration series, Emission Impossible has been screened at major global events, including Hotdocs International Documentary Film Festival and the World Economic Forum in Davos. We are immensely grateful to ZeroAvia for their access, support, and collaboration in bringing this film to life.

Tackling Aviation’s Carbon Challenge

Emission Impossible addresses one of the most pressing climate issues—decarbonising aviation. The film follows ZeroAvia, a pioneering company developing the world’s first hydrogen-electric, zero-emission aircraft. By documenting their journey, Emission Impossible showcases not just future possibilities but the tangible progress being made today.

Find out more about ZeroAvia at zeroavia.com

See our corporate work for ZeroAvia Here

Film Stills

Production Stills

Director's Statement

My 9-year-old son burst into tears two lines into the film when he learned we only have 9 years to prevent 2 degrees of warming. This reaction is a powerful reminder of how overwhelming the climate crisis can feel, and it often seems like individual efforts are not enough. It is easy to feel impotent in the face of catastrophic failures in addressing climate change. But there is hope—radical innovation and a shift in mindset are critical. The world needs to adopt a solutions-driven approach, and ZeroAvia embodies this ethos.

ZeroAvia refuses to accept the status quo, where incremental improvements are far too slow. They believe radical engineering is the key to solving climate challenges within the tight timelines we face. I was fascinated to discover people who not only have the drive to attempt the impossible but also who have an approach that sees engineering as the most viable path to real solutions. What kind of people, what kind of attitude, what approach should we think about if we want to change the world?

We made Emission Impossible to showcase the people who refuse to accept the status quo, who believe that engineering and practical steps are the only way forward in the race against time. Aviation is perhaps the toughest sector to decarbonise, and this film explores what kind of thinking is required to achieve the ‘impossible.’ If our film sparks conversations about the role of engineering in addressing climate change while offering hope, we will have achieved what we set out to do.

Engineering is everything was a major theme for us in the film, and whilst protest has a critical place in influencing governments, we wanted to show people taking practical steps to solve man-made problems in the record time needed for our survival. If Emission Impossible invites people to have conversations about this, to consider how thinking differently can make a difference, we will consider the film to have been worth making. If we can do this whilst offering some hope, that is even better.
Richard Da Costa
Director
Floating Harbour Films