Australia-headed air carrier Qantas Group has announced that it will reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in a major expansion of the airline’s commitment to a more sustainable aviation industry. This makes Qantas the only airline group to commit to cap its net emissions at 2020 levels, and the second to commit to net zero emissions by 2050.
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According to a statement, with actions starting from November 11, 2019, the Australian national carrier will:
- Immediately double the number of flights being offset
- Cap net emissions from 2020 onwards
- Invest AU$50 million over 10 years to help develop a sustainable aviation fuel industry
The announcement means that Qantas is the only airline group to commit to cap its net emissions at 2020 levels, and the second to commit to net zero emissions by 2050. In total, these commitments are the most ambitious carbon emissions targets of any airline group globally.
Qantas, Jetstar (Australia and New Zealand), QantasLink and Qantas Freight will offset all growth in emissions from domestic and international operations from 2020. Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said these commitments would make Qantas a leader in the aviation industry’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
We recognise that airlines have a responsibility to cut emissions and combat climate change. We’ve already made some good progress, especially by investing in newer aircraft that have a much smaller carbon footprint. We want to do more, and faster. We’re effectively doubling our carbon offsetting program from today and we’re capping our net emissions across Qantas and Jetstar from 2020 so that all new flying will be carbon neutral, Joyce said.
Offsetting net emissions
This includes offsetting all net emissions from Project Sunrise, the carrier’s plan to operate non-stop flights from the east coast of Australia to London and New York, should the project proceed. This will also extend to domestic flying, meaning that growth on key routes like Melbourne-Sydney will be carbon neutral.
The aviation industry, which contributes around 2 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, has committed to halving emissions by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. It was the first industry to make such commitments. Qantas had signed up to those commitments but will now exceed them.
Qantas will work with industry, research institutions and governments to develop long-term solutions to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the aviation industry over the next three decades.
According to Qantas, it currently operates the largest carbon offset program in the aviation industry, with around 10 percent of customers booking flights on Qantas.com choosing to offset their flights. With immediate effect, Qantas and Jetstar will double the number of flights offset by matching every dollar spent by customers who tick the box to fly carbon neutral.
Qantas offsets all of its own travel needs and so do many of our customers. By matching their efforts, we’re hoping it will encourage even more people to offset and the program will keep growing. These short-term actions will go towards a longer-term goal of being completely net carbon neutral by 2050. It’s ambitious but achievable, said Alan Joyce.
This additional investment will see Qantas Future Planet, which is already the largest private-sector buyer of Australian carbon credits, support more conservation and environmental projects in Australia and around the world.
Existing projects include protecting the Great Barrier Reef, working with Indigenous communities to reduce wildfires in Western Australia and securing over 7 000 hectares of native Tasmanian forest.
Invest in sustainable aviation fuel
Qantas will invest AU$50 million over the next ten years to help develop a sustainable aviation fuel industry. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can reduce carbon emissions by eighty percent compared to traditional jet fuel, but are currently almost double the price.
Qantas will work with governments and private sector partners to support the development of sustainable aviation fuel in Australia and overseas to make it more viable and increase demand throughout the industry.
Innovation is going to be key. We’re investing $50 million to hopefully kickstart a sustainable aviation fuel industry in Australia. We know from our own trials that the technology works but we need to get to a scale of production where it’s a practical substitute, Joyce said.
The national carrier will also continue to reduce its emissions through continued investment in more fuel-efficient aircraft, more efficient operations such as single-engine taxiing, and smarter flight planning to reduce fuel burn.
Qantas is on track to replace its Boeing 747 fleet by the end of 2020 with the more fuel-efficient B787 Dreamliners, which burn 20 percent less fuel than aircraft of a similar size. Jetstar’s A321neo (LR) aircraft, which begin arriving next year, use 15 percent less fuel than the aircraft they are replacing.
The Qantas Group continues to work with aircraft and engine manufacturers on next-generation technology that will deliver a further step-change in emissions reduction – however, innovations such as electric aircraft engines are still some time away.
Concerns about emissions and climate change are real, but we can’t lose sight of the contribution that air travel makes to society and the economy. The industry has already come a long way in cutting its footprint and the solution from here isn’t to simply ‘fly less’ but to make it more sustainable. We’re doing this because it’s the responsible thing to do, but hopefully, it will also encourage more people to choose Qantas and Jetstar because of the action we’re taking, concluded Alan Joyce.
