Aviation Sustainability and the Environment, CAPA 19-Feb-2021

• Alternative to succeed in internet zero CO2 emissions via a mix of measures, making flying extra sustainable for the long run.
• Sector requires decisive motion from each governments and {industry} to attain this internet zero imaginative and prescient by 2050, whereas upholding worldwide competitiveness and aviation’s advantages to society.

Europe’s aviation sector in the present day unveiled its flagship sustainability initiative, Vacation spot 2050 – A Path to Internet Zero European Aviation. Pushed by a brand new, impartial report, it gives a imaginative and prescient and path for significant CO2 emission discount efforts in Europe and globally. This follows latest local weather commitments introduced by the sector final November within the Spherical Desk Report on the Restoration of European Aviation which referred to as upon institutional stakeholders to affix the sector in an EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation by the top of 2021 – a name reiterated in the present day. 

Constructing on the Paris Settlement and the European Inexperienced Deal, Vacation spot 2050 sees all flights inside and departing the EU, UK and EFTA realising internet zero CO2 emissions by 2050. The bold plan and associated commitments laid out by Europe’s airways, airports, aerospace producers and air navigation service suppliers reveals collective management of the European aviation sector to cut back CO2 emissions, with the objective of constructing leisure and enterprise air journey in Europe, and globally, extra sustainable in the long run. 

In keeping with the report, there is a chance to succeed in internet zero CO2 emissions by 2050 via a mix of 4 key measures, aligning European aviation with EU local weather targets – topic to securing the required supporting coverage and financing framework at EU and nationwide stage. These 4 measures embody: 

•    Enhancements in plane and engine applied sciences may obtain emission reductions of 37% 

•    Utilizing sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) may obtain emission reductions of 34% 

•    Implementing financial measures may obtain emission reductions of 8% 

•    Enhancements in air site visitors administration (ATM) and plane operations may obtain emission reductions of 6% 

The Vacation spot 2050 report additional assumes an impression on demand as a result of above measures, ensuing within the internet zero CO2 objective. However, European air passenger numbers are projected to develop on common by roughly 1.4% per 12 months between 2018 and 2050 with out compromising the sector’s means to succeed in internet zero CO2 emissions by this level. 

Vacation spot 2050 highlights that to make the online zero imaginative and prescient for European aviation by 2050 a actuality, whereas sustaining worldwide competitiveness and aviation’s advantages to society – fast, decisive joint actions by governments and {industry} shall be wanted. Trade might want to proceed to considerably spend money on decarbonisation and innovation and make the required operational transitions, whereas governments might want to guarantee a stage taking part in subject and facilitate the transition via incentives and by lowering funding dangers with constant and secure coverage frameworks. 

That is the primary pan-European, industry-wide, long-term imaginative and prescient that comes with concrete options to the advanced problem of lowering CO2 emissions from business flights inside and departing the EU, UK and EFTA. The initiative is led by 5 European aviation associations – ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International), AeroSpace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD Europe), Airlines for Europe (A4E), Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) and European Regions Airline Association (ERA). The report was made attainable due to the work of the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and web optimization Amsterdam Economics. 

“This long-planned imaginative and prescient and roadmap for the way forward for European aviation underlines our sector’s dedication and willpower to play our half in tackling local weather change regardless of the present disaster. A strong regulatory framework shall be paramount in attaining not solely an environmentally sustainable future, but additionally a financially resilient and aggressive European aviation {industry} as an entire. We stay dedicated to work with policy-makers to take aviation ahead collectively for the subsequent technology of travellers,” mentioned Thomas Reynaert, Managing Director at A4E. 

“The Air Site visitors Administration {industry} and the remainder of the aviation sector in Europe have come collectively to current an answer to our widespread problem – lowering carbon emissions, whereas nonetheless delivering useful financial and social advantages. With enhancements throughout the sector, we intention to make a significant impression and assist to attain Europe’s local weather targets,” mentioned Tanja Grobotek, Director Europe Affairs at CANSO. 

“The decisive and tangible actions set out on this roadmap are unprecedented. Right here we have now a complete sector not simply committing to decarbonisation, however really charting the trail to make it occur and successfully contribute to the EU’s Local weather targets and the Paris Settlement. However while we embrace our tasks, it’s clear that we can not do that alone. It takes two to tango. Now we’d like the EU to ship the coverage and regulatory framework that may allow us to ship internet zero European Aviation by 2050. We subsequently urge institutional stakeholders to reply to our name and now be part of the EU Pact for Sustainable Aviation we tabled final November,” mentioned Olivier Jankovec, Director Basic at ACI EUROPE. 

“It is a pivotal second for sustainability and innovation for a lot of industries, together with aviation. The European aviation sector will take a robust management and collaboration place via its strengths in innovation and expertise. The achievement of the targets of this roadmap is feasible supplied that the EU and nationwide governments play their half via elevated public funding for civil aviation analysis & expertise. This will even have wider advantages globally, bearing in mind the European aeronautics {industry}’s world management,” mentioned Vincent De Vroey, ASD Civil Aviation Director. 

“Strong financial measures and far wanted authorities and regulatory assist within the quick time period shall be essential to bridge the hole till innovation, expertise and sustainable aviation fuels grow to be extra extensively obtainable to assist our {industry} attain its environmental targets. Our {industry} desires to be part of a clear restoration that has an enduring constructive impression while nonetheless offering important connectivity to Europe’s residents; we’ll take constructive steps to make it occur,” mentioned Montserrat Barriga, Director Basic, ERA.

S&P World Dow Jones Index recognises LATAM Airlines as South America‘s most sustainable provider

LATAM Airlines introduced (11-Feb-2021) the provider was recognised by S&P World Dow Jones Index as South America‘s most sustainable airline within the silver class, and second on the earth.

The provider is among the many 5% most sustainable carriers on the earth. [more – original PR – Portuguese]

Unique report – Portuguese: LATAM é reconhecida como a melhor companhia aérea da América do Sul e a segunda do mundo em Sustentabilidade

O anuário “The Sustainability Yearbook” aponta as empresas com melhor gestão ambiental, social e governança corporativa

O Grupo LATAM Airlines acaba de ser listado na edição 2021 do anuário “The Sustainability Yearbook” do S&P World Dow Jones Index (DJSI) como a melhor companhia aérea em Sustentabilidade na América do Sul e a segunda em todo o mundo. A LATAM foi reconhecida pela primeira vez na categoria Silver Class e está entre os 5% das companhias aéreas com melhor desempenho em Sustentabilidade no mundo.

Das mais de 7 mil empresas avaliadas, apenas as 630 com maior pontuação foram selecionadas para o anuário. Destas, apenas 280 foram reconhecidas em algumas das seguintes categorias: Gold Class, Silver Class, Bronze Class e Trade Mover.

“Este resultado é um reconhecimento do trabalho que nossas equipes LATAM vêm construindo nos últimos anos. Vemos isso apenas como um começo. Como Grupo, temos a firme intenção de fazer da aviação uma indústria sustentável com a urgência que sentimos que o planeta precisa ”, afirma Roberto Alvo, CEO do Grupo LATAM Airlines.

O anuário reúne as companhias com as melhores práticas ambientais, sociais e de governança corporativa do mundo, classificadas e listadas no DJSI, o principal e mais respeitado índice de investimento sustentável do mundo. Em 2020, a LATAM teve uma gestão de destaque nas seguintes áreas: Gestão de Marca e Gestão de Riscos e Crises, Relatório de Indicadores Ambientais e Estratégia Climática. Também se destacou no Relatório de Desenvolvimento de Capital Humano e Indicadores Sociais, entre outros.

Edmonton Airport: WeFaces Know-how to open photo voltaic facility at Airport Metropolis

Edmonton International Airport introduced (17-Feb-2021) photo voltaic LED producer WeFaces Know-how will set up a sustainability campus on the Airport Metropolis.

The power helps the airport’s dedication to vitality diversification and can embody analysis and improvement in addition to the mass manufacturing of superior photo voltaic panel lighting techniques.

By 2022 the corporate will start manufacturing Canadian made photo voltaic lighting merchandise for worldwide export from the Edmonton Metropolitan Area. [more – original PR]

Unique report: New Photo voltaic producer to arrange at EIA

Clean Sky makes progress with PERF-AI, utilizing AI to optimise flight trajectories and scale back emissions

Clear Sky introduced (11-Feb-2021) the PERF-AI mission has developed a completely useful prototype that analyses historic flight information to generate correct efficiency fashions of particular person plane.

Considering particular variations that come up in an plane’s lifetime and impression on their particular person efficiency, the software program generates a extra tailor-made, correct efficiency mannequin that may then be used to calculate flight trajectories which can be optimised for gasoline effectivity.

The expertise additionally suggests extra environment friendly flight trajectories, supporting pilots to make extra eco-conscious choices.

In some instances, PERF-AI reported a discount of 500kg of carbon dioxide emissions for a medium haul flight of two hours, representing as much as 2%-5% of cruise consumption. [more – original PR]

Unique report: PERF-AI optimises flight trajectories and reduces emissions with synthetic intelligence

The PERF-AI mission has developed a completely useful prototype that analyses historic flight information to generate correct efficiency fashions of particular person plane. 

Considering particular variations that come up in an plane’s lifetime and impression on their particular person efficiency (corresponding to ageing engines, modifications to plane construction and so forth), the software program generates a extra tailor-made, correct efficiency mannequin that may then be used to calculate flight trajectories which can be optimised for gasoline effectivity. 

The info that’s collected can be utilized to tell flight crews with extra correct estimates of how a lot gasoline they’ll want. Carrying much less gasoline on board means much less weight, so much less gasoline burn. The expertise additionally suggests extra environment friendly flight trajectories, supporting pilots to make extra eco-conscious choices. In some instances, PERF-AI reported a discount of 500 kg of carbon dioxide emissions for a medium-haul flight of two hours, representing as much as 2-5% of cruise consumption. 

The mission began by gathering and establishing a big sufficient flight information set, then a number of machine studying algorithms have been developed and examined to pick essentially the most related. Lastly, a standalone utility was constructed that may use any kind of plane information and supply corresponding efficiency tables. In parallel, new sorts of optimisation methods based mostly on machine studying have been additionally explored.

A formidable variety of flights have been analysed to create the dataset – 17000 flights for B737-800 kind plane and 25000 flights on A320. 

Regardless of the large quantity of knowledge processed, the prototype doesn’t require notably highly effective computer systems, that means it may be used not solely to calculate optimum trajectories earlier than flight however is also used sooner or later to re-calculate throughout flight. It was examined on two completely different plane sorts, and demonstrated superb preliminary outcomes. 

It wasn’t all easy crusing for the mission, nevertheless. Among the data that wanted to be extracted from the info was not current among the many obtainable parameters. A workaround was wanted and the usage of flight dynamics was used to compute the lacking parts.

One analysis paper has already been revealed in Knowledge Centric Engineering Evaluation from Cambridge College, and a second one has been submitted. 

Discussions are ongoing relating to methods to exploit the outcomes of the mission in a business type. The outcomes of the optimisation are at the moment being examined with Transavia France.  

The companions of the mission have been Security Line, a Paris based mostly SME, and INRIA Lille a analysis centre specialised in Machine Studying. The Matter supervisor was Thales Avionics and two airways have been represented on the advisory board: Transavia France and Lufthansa. Altogether, €705 000 was invested in PERF-AI, with €568550 coming from the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 funding underneath Clean Sky.

SAP Concur: Almost half of company travellers lack data on sustainability in journey

SAP Concur reported (15-Feb-2021) its ‘Fixing the Puzzle of Sustainable Company Journey’ survey report discovered that whereas 85% of company travellers felt they’d management over their preparations, nearly half (46%) mentioned they lacked the data wanted to make an informed alternative concerning the relative sustainability deserves of various reserving choices.

39% of people say the sustainability of their company journey has by no means even occurred to them.

The survey recognized the three most impactful consciousness actions to alter traveller behaviour because the providing of incentives (25%), formal coaching and schooling (24%), plus a job for ‘Sustainable Journey Ambassadors’ (13%). [more – original PR]

Unique report: Empowering Staff to Make Sustainable Company Journey Selections