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FLY GREEN !

by Ananya Singh | 29-04-2019 14:54 recommendations 0

For many businesses, it¡¯s go green or go home. Sustainability is a big deal, and unfortunately, the environmental impact of tourism and aviation is huge. So when it comes to sustainability in air travel, it¡¯s ¡°go green or stay home¡±.

People aren¡¯t going to stay home, though. More and more people are flying, and International Air Transport Association  (IATA) estimates that air travel growth will double to 8 billion passengers by 2035. The airline industry has come up with a lot of initiatives to manage its impact on the environment, such as powering flights with fuel alternatives, introducing carbon offsetting programs for customers and improving aircraft design.

But which airlines are making the most positive impact when it comes to going green?

In 2009, IATA adopted a set of targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from air transport. 

  1. An average improvement in fuel efficiency of 1.5% per year from 2009 to 2020.
  2. A cap on net aviation CO2 emissions from 2020 (carbon-neutral growth).
  3. reduction in net aviation CO2 emissions of 50% by 2050, relative to 2005 levels.

IATA has called for a commitment from all stakeholders to achieve these targets through ¡°the four-pillar strategy¡±:

  • Improved technology (including the deployment of sustainable low-carbon fuels).
  • More efficient aircraft operations.
  • Infrastructure improvements (including more modern air traffic management systems).
  • A single global market-based measure (GMBM) to fill the remaining emissions gap.

Data shared by IATA tells us that flights produce 2% of all CO2 emissions caused by humans. 

Etihad Airways has completed the world's first commercial flight using locally produced sustainable fuel that is derived from plants grown in saltwater.

Khalifaa University, Etihad Airways, Boeing, Adnoc, Safran, GE, and Bauer Resources worked together to develop a comprehensive sustainable aviation fuel value chain. The flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam, on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 powered by GE's GEnx-1B engines, marked a major milestone in the development of a clean, alternative aviation fuel to reduce carbon emissions. The initiative also addresses food security in the UAE through the farming of seafood as a core element in the process.

Sustainable fuel for the flight was derived from oil in Salicornia plants, which were grown on the two-hectare Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS) farm in Masdar City. The SEAS is the world's first desert ecosystem designed to produce fuel and food in saltwater. Fish and shrimp raised at the facility provide nutrients for the plants as well as contribute to the UAE's food production.

Using sustainable feedstock to produce the fuel significantly reduces life-cycle carbon dioxide emissions compared to fossil fuel. The biofuel is blended directly with jet fuel and does not require any modifications to aircraft, engines or airport fuelling delivery systems. The unique initiative also bolsters the oil and gas industry by using existing refining infrastructure, with the potential to become an important new option for sustainable aviation fuel in the future. Sustainable aviation fuel represents a significant opportunity to help aviation meet its goals to cap the growth of carbon emissions by 2020 and cut levels to half of what they were in 2005 by 2050.

 
Etihad

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  • Dormant user Ananya Singh
 
 
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6 Comments

Kushal Naharki

  • Kushal Naharki says :
    Hello Ananya

    Thank you for your report about eco friendly relation with air lines. I too wrote a report on how yeti airlines in Nepal are promoting Sustainable Development Goals.
    I really loved your report and people should be conscious and support the companies which are eco friendly and promoting environmental conservation.

    Green Cheers from Nepal :)
    Keep writing great reports.
    We are eager to read more reports from you.

    Regards,
    Kushal Naharki

    Posted 16-06-2019 04:46

  • Ananya Singh says :
    Thank you so much everyone for taking the time to go through my report and for your valuable feedbacks.
    Posted 03-05-2019 00:18

  • Wonhee Mentor says :
    Hello Ananya

    Thank you for sharing your report with us. When I thought of affects of transportation on air pollution, I only came up with land transportation. It's surprising that flights account for 2% of CO2 emission by humans. As the number of passengers will even grow in the future, I agree with you on that energy-saving technology and sustainable aviation fuel must go green. Thank you for all your effort and time taken to write this report : )

    Wonhee Mentor
    Posted 01-05-2019 16:51

  • Louis Mentor says :
    Hi Ananya,

    Thank you for your time and efforts in writing this report. It is true that aircrafts create huge amount of CO2 while they are flying in the sky thus, I do believe that sustainable aviation fuel value chain is a key for the sustainable operation of aviation companies. With your example of Etihad, they are doing a tremendous work which is not easy at all. Other companies should benchmark what they are doing to fulfill the duty of CSR.

    Louis Mentor
    Posted 01-05-2019 14:08

  • Asmita Gaire says :
    Hello ananya
    sustainable aviation fuel value chain, this would be the revolutionary change indeed.
    Thank you so much for this wonderful report.
    Green cheers
    Posted 30-04-2019 16:52

  • Eco Generation says :
    Greetings Ananya,

    Yes, for many businesses, the importance of corporate social responsibility is growing, especially in the aviation and tourism industry.
    Globalization will surely contribute to the growth of the aviation industry, and so we hope that many companies will follow the example of Etihad Airways.

    Keep up the good work!
    Posted 30-04-2019 13:46

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