Qantas has begun laying out its strategy for achieving its 2050 net-zero emissions goal. The Australian airline detailed the specific steps it is taking to meet that mid-century goal, as well as an interim target of reducing carbon emissions by 25% by 2030, on Thursday in Sydney.
To accomplish those two deadlines, Qantas is focusing on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), waste reduction, fuel efficiency, and offsets. SAF is expected to account for 10% of the airline's fuel mix by 2030, and about 60% by 2050. 0% single-use plastics by 2027 and zero general trash (excluding quarantine waste) to landfill by 2030 are also on the table.
Qantas intends to improve its fuel efficiency by 1.5% every year until 2030. This will be accomplished through modernising the fleet of aeroplanes and employing more effective flight planning, as well as continuing research into next-generation technologies such as hydrogen and battery power. Finally, the airline will continue to invest in major Australian initiatives as part of its offsetting programme.
Aviation is a crucial industry, especially in a country the size of Australia. Having a clear plan to decarbonize Qantas and Jetstar, so we can keep delivering these services in the decades ahead is absolutely key to our future,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce stated. "We’ve had a zero net emissions goal for several years, so today’s interim targets are about accelerating our progress and cutting emissions as quickly as technology allows."
