Aviation’s future is at risk if it does not undergo a fundamental transition, says ‘Call Aviation to Action,’ a group of more than 50 aviation executives urging the sector to become more sustainable.
The Dutch initiative, which includes various people, including directors, pilots, and technicians, believes that aviation cannot possibly continue on its current course and that only a small share of people enjoy its benefits. In contrast, climate change will impact humanity at large.
‘Be realistic’
Call Aviation to Action argues that the industry must reduce emissions and support regulations that limit emissions. The action group also believes aviation should not rely entirely on technologies whose timeframe for contributing to sustainability is still unclear.
“Be realistic about the timeline by which technology can contribute and develop a business model that can operate sustainably on its own,” they write on their website.
Overall, the action group argues that the industry is not taking decisive action to address the challenge of aviation’s CO2 emissions disruption and that too much is being reasoned in the growth paradigm and working from one quarter’s bottom line to the next. “We are focused on operational effectiveness, whereas we should be fundamentally rethinking our strategy,” they say in their appeal.
Break the silence
Former KLM sustainability director Karel Bockstael co-initiated the call. “Aviation must take the initiative to transform itself before it is enforced,” he says. “We understand the challenges facing companies and their leaders like no other, but also see that continuing on the same path is not an option.”
The initiators see particular benefit in individual actions that professionals in the aviation ecosystem can take. “Speaking out in the workplace is the first step,” Bockstael says. “We know that many people are concerned about the future of our industry and the planet, but mistakenly assume that their colleagues are not. We must break the silence to address these concerns and encourage our leaders to be part of this transition.”
‘Powerful signal’
Greenpeace welcomes the initiative. In various Dutch media, the environmental movement calls it an “unprecedentedly powerful signal” that even people from the aviation sector are coming forward with this call.
However, it remains to be seen whether the call will set something in motion or fall on a cold stone in the industry, especially with the CEOs, shareholders, and travelers.
Fleet renewal is already slower than predicted, and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has also already called out that the target of 5% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030 is highly ambitious – the decarbonization of kerosene, by the way, is not going to solve the problem of the CO2 climate effects of aviation because contrails, or aircraft stripes, also have a similar warming effect as CO2 emissions, which means that the predetermined quotas cannot be met if nothing changes.
The EU has set itself the goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
