The future of sustainable air transport
Any action raised from the respect for the environment, will require the effort and commitment necessary to make possible the compatibility between the growth of air transport and the conservation and protection of the quality of life and the natural values of the environment. Organizations dedicated to air transport are increasingly committed to sustainable development, in which the correct and rational allocation of available resources must prevail, in a context of safety, efficiency, quality and respect for the environment.
Spain, leading sustainable airport management in Europe
Surprisingly for many, in the XV edition of the awards of the International Airports Council of Europe (ACI Europe) to the best airports in the continent, the Eco-innovation award was given to Menorca Airport, which competed with many very serious candidates. Not to mention that the Oslo Airport, considered the “greenest airport in the world” and the main one of the world’s leading country in environmental protection and the fight against climate change, remained at the doorstep. But the biggest surprise was what made the Balearic island airport win the category.
On the part of the airports, those of the Aena network that are part of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program, in their continuous work to minimize CO2 emissions from air transport, have taken another step in the fight against change climate after renewing the ACA certification. This program allows, on a voluntary basis, to evaluate and recognize the efforts of airports to manage and reduce their CO2 emissions associated with their activity.
Airport Carbon Accreditation is a certification granted by the International Airports Council (ACI) that establishes an accreditation system based on four levels (Level 1 “Inventory”, Level 2 “Reduction”, Level 3 “Optimization” and Level 3+ “Neutralization”), Which respond to progressive commitments to reduce CO2 emissions, with the ultimate goal of achieving carbon neutrality.
Thus, the Airports of Alicante-Elche, Menorca and Santiago, have renewed the Airport Carbon Accreditation Level 1 “Inventory” certification; while Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat, César Manrique-Lanzarote and Palma de Mallorca have renewed the Level 2 “Reduction” certification. The Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport stands out for having managed to ascend from Level 1 to 2.
What airlines are doing
Airlines have recently been under increasing pressure to act on emissions. According to EU data, direct aviation emissions represent about 3% of total EU greenhouse gas emissions and more than 2% of global emissions. If aviation were a country, it would be among the top 10 emitters.
Easyjet will be the first major airline in the world with zero net carbon dioxide flights. The british company announced its ambitious plans and explained that it wants to compensate all emissions of the fuel used by investing in projects that include tree planting and protection against deforestation. According to Easyjet’s website: “We know carbon offsetting is not perfect, but right now we believe it’s the best way to address the carbon emitted from flying. It’s just part of our drive to become a more carbon neutral airline. We’ll continue to research and implement other ways to reduce emissions, such as removing weight from our aircraft or taxiing on one engine. We’re already championing the development of electric technology and will continue to do so”. It is estimated that the program will cost Easyjet about 29 million euros.
Regarding the impact of this strategy on the passenger, the firm claims that it will only result in a more sustainable trip. The company has made it clear that the measure will not lead to an increase in the price of flights or jeopardize the performance of the aircraft or the safety of those traveling on board.
New strategies to mitigate use of fossil fuels are being implemented, and according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)—such as aviation biofuel—is key to reducing carbon emissions. Currently, there are only five airports with regular biofuel distribution today (Bergen, Norway; Brisbane, Australia; Los Angeles; Oslo; and Stockholm), with others offering occasional supply.
Aviation biofuel suppliers say SAF can cut the carbon footprint of airlines by up to 80%, but it costs up to four times as much as normal jet fuel, which has curtailed usage and demand for production, according to a recent article from Reuters.
Scandinavian Airlines aims to power all of its domestic flights—accounting for 17% of the carrier’s total fuel consumption—with biofuel by 2030. And for its international flights, like the newly launched direct flight from Los Angeles to Copenhagen, the airline took the 11-hour carbon impact into consideration. This year, the company will fully upgrade its entire fleet of airplanes to more fuel-efficient models, including the introduction of the Airbus A350 to the Los Angeles market this June, significantly reducing emissions.
There’s also the Airbus A320neo, which incorporates the latest in aerodynamics, leading to 50% reduced noise as well as fuel efficiency with 16% lower fuel burn and carbon emissions over previous generation aircraft.
The amount of waste created on airplanes—uneaten food, plastic cups, utensils, straws, plastic coverings on blankets, and other items given on board—plays a substantial role in the aviation impact.
Qantas, for example, generates more than 33,000 tons of waste per year on flights. By 2021, however, the airline plans to reduce that waste by 75%, which would also include the elimination of up to 100 million plastic items used in lounges across the world.
Among others, Air New Zealand is also committed to implementing a campaign to remove nearly 55 million single-use plastic items this year. “Items such as plastic cups, water bottles, eye-mask wrappers, and toothbrushes are being swapped for more sustainable options,” says a spokesperson for the airline. “In a fun initiative [in December 2019], we trialed edible coffee cups. We serve more than 8 million cups of coffee each year and felt that edible cups were an innovative way to reduce waste.”
Also, airlines are implementing changes on their organizations and improving the management of their ressources and manpower in order to achieve higher levels in sustainability.
Industry 4.0
Industry 4.0 is giving rise to a growing demand for qualified professionals trained in efficient and environmentally friendly technologies and processes. Workers who want to be part of the next industrial revolution in the field of aeronautics must be endowed with a global knowledge of air transport.
The aeronautical industry is striving to mitigate its environmental impact, more pronounced because it directly affects the atmosphere. The European Commission has marked for this sector that in 2050 it must reduce its CO2 and NO2 emissions by 75% and 90%, respectively. Noise pollution should also get another drastic cut, in this case 65%. The industry works to achieve those goals and, in passing, also lighten its production costs.
Some analysts have compared the new generation of aircraft with the transformation that the trains underwent. Initially, as large consumers of coal, to give way to diesel-driven locomotives, to the current units, faster and quieter thanks to electricity.
Airbus and Boeing are already working with the goal of meeting government emissions requirements. With the largest single aisle cabin in the sky, the A320neo family incorporates the latest technologies, including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together offer 20% less fuel consumption and 50% less noise compared to aircraft of the previous generation.
The new generations of professionals
Logically, these changes or demands of the future will require not only an investment in R& D by companies, but also the configuration of a set of professionals prepared to innovate, to sustainably manage companies and to make possible what on paper It has already been agreed.
It is very difficult to accurately describe the profile of the future professional in air transport, but what is clear is that we can intuit that the following will converge on that professional:
It is very frequent to read about the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda, sustainability, etc. We believe that those professionals who understand well and get ahead of the knowledge of all this culture that permeates today’s society will have a guaranteed professional future.
ITAérea and the UN offer the only postgraduate degree in sustainable management of air transport in English
ITAérea Aeronautical Business School supports and encourages policies and measures to fight climate crisis and environmental conservation. Our commitment to the cause and the first step in this direction was signed by agreement at the UN headquarters in Geneva, in 2017. At the time the first stone was laid of what today is the only master in sustainable air transport management in the world. Taught in English, the Master in Sustainable Air Transport Management offers our students the essential tools for a sustainable and efficient management of all companies covered by air transport: from airports to airlines, through auxiliary service companies, service providers of air navigation, aircraft manufacturers, etc.
