UPDATE July 2024: Air New Zealand is first major airline to scrap 2030 emissions targets…
www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/523578/air-new-zealand-pulls-the-plug-on-2030-climate-targets
Air New Zealand has become the first major airline to drop its 2030 goal to cut carbon emissions. Air New Zealand has pulled the plug on its climate targets saying the resources needed to meet them are unaffordable and unavailable. The company has blamed difficulties in procuring new planes and sustainable jet fuel.
“In recent months, and more so in the last few weeks, it has also become apparent that potential delays to our fleet renewal plan pose an additional risk to the target’s achievability. It is possible the airline may need to retain its existing fleet for longer than planned due to global manufacturing and supply chain issues that could potentially slow the introduction of newer, more fuel-efficient aircraft into the fleet.” CEO, Greg Foran
The much touted “sustainable aviation fuels” are way off track to replace current fuels in a timeframe needed to avert dangerous climate change, and reports have found there is now “no realistic or scalable alternative” to standard kerosene-based jet fuels.
The new fuels are made of biomass, including crops, waste oil and forestry and agricultural waste.
However it is dubious whether enough of this fuel can be produced to sate the demand of the aviation industry and protect enough land for growing the world’s food.