(European Climate Foundation) Given that EU leaders have committed to achieving a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050, there is a growing focus on how to accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral aviation.
As the European Union is about to unveil new targets for sustainable aviation fuel in 2021, a group of major European aviation companies – including KLM, Easyjet, Air France, International Airlines Group – as well as research organisations and environmental groups are calling for a more stringent policy approach to sustainability and the sector’s climate impact.
In a statement, the group provides recommendations on the sustainability aspects of the EU’s policy design to support Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
Major airlines, including Easyjet, KLM and Air France, have joined with environmental NGOs to call for stricter policies on biofuels and reduce the aviation sector’s environmental impact.
In a statement released on Wednesday (13 January), the airlines recommended that EU policymakers support sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) by prioritising e-fuels and those made from agriculture waste and forest residues.
The statement also includes a call to exclude biofuels produced on dedicated cropland to avoid any competition between biofuels and food crops.
“Because of COVID-19, sustainability is even more a key agenda item for airlines going forward,” said KLM CEO Pieter Elbers. “Scaling up the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a cornerstone in achieving our carbon reduction targets,” he said.