Environment is the first among the pillars of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) And this has very relevant implications for the airline industry.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as a unit related to United Nations (UN), which is in charge of policies in the airline industry internationally, has drawn up a plan for the global industry to significantly reduce global emissions by the year 2050, reaching the commitment of “zero emissions”. this plan is called Corsica And, despite the surprising fact that countries do not align with this international body, only Mexico as a volunteer country Pilot Phase (2021-2023) and BrazilThose who will join in 2027 are participants in the scheme and will include their airlines in the scheme.
This undertaking has also been signed International Air Transport Association (IATA) and all of its member airlines, to reduce the environmental impact and also to reduce the reputational impact that may have occurred prior to the pandemic.
What does “zero emissions” mean?
unfortunately, “zero emission” This does not mean that the industry will stop emitting greenhouse gases (just as no other industry in the world has). This means that all emissions generated by the industry will be offset.
Compensation has a significant economic impact for airlines, and for this reason IATA aims to reach 2050 with less than Twenty% of compensation. This means reducing the current emissions by a 80%using the main ingredient SAF, which represents 65% of the total emissions reductions.
What is SAF?
SAF stands for “Sustainable Aviation Fuel”. It is a sustainable fuel for aircraft that allows reducing the climate impact of the industry’s emissions.
The big question many people ask themselves is doesn’t this fuel generate emissions… The answer is yes, it produces emissions, but it produces much less emissions than fossil fuels (jetfuel).
This reduction in emissions comes from, above all, the entire supply chain of the production of safwhich, in some cases, is also able to capture emissions generated by own airline industry (and others) for you own production.
Achieving adequate production of SAF is a major challenge for the airline industryto reduce emissions and meet this challenge, and in technical improvements to engines that allow the use of 100% SAF On each flight (for now, pilot experience).
The risks of reaching the 2050 zero emissions commitment
The main risk, as we mentioned earlier, is production industry capacity To produce as much SAF fuel as the airline industry needs.
One of the milestones for achieving this commitment is that, in the year 2025, 7,900 million liters of SAF consumed, which is equal to 2% of the consumption global fuel Of aviation. In 2022, it was possible to produce 0.1% of global consumption, with which, 3 years after this important milestone, the gap is huge.
How can you contribute to this industry commitment?
while in europeTo meet the challenge of reducing emissions in the airline industry, the EU is supporting the use of SAFs with funding, with the aim of ensuring that taxes on fossil fuel use are introduced in Latin America. without that there is incentive to increase demand, shift to the use of SAF and with it, Increase production and thus reduce the price.
SAF production technology It is not mature and, like any new technology, requires large investments with significant risks that the technology will improve or become unviable and, therefore, the investment will be lost. To reduce this risk, it is necessary government incentives The challenge does not have such a relevant effect as the million-dollar investment to support it, if the result is not satisfactory, or that the new technologies overtake existing ones (an effect already seen with all renewable energies). ).
However, the biggest problem with aviation today is the perception that it is still a service “Some”and it still is for some “privileged class” and, therefore, as private businesses that they are, they cannot be supported. This is the root cause of many problems in aviation and it had such an effect led its main airlines in Latin America and the United States to file Chapter 11While all the governments in Europe, America and Asia protected it “Universal Public Service”. The solution would be to break out of this thinking, support the industry, support initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, etc. so that day by day, air service Continue to be universal and everyone can enjoy its efficiency and safety while traveling.
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