American Airlines aim to reduce GHG by 2035 with a science based target
American Airlines (American) announced its commitment towards setting a science-based target for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This move will sharpen the company’s strategy for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, align its path with the global imperative of limiting temperature rise to well below 2°C, and bring additional accountability to its approach.
American is said to be the first airline in North America to begin the validation process with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). In doing so, American is committing to develop a 2035 emissions reduction target that will be reviewed by the SBTi to confirm its consistency with the latest climate science.
“We are building American Airlines to thrive forever, which is why we set an ambitious goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050,” said Doug Parker, chairman and CEO of American Airlines. “Now, we’re committing to set a science-based target for 2035 because the seriousness of the climate challenge demands it. We’ve already laid a strong foundation by prioritizing near-term solutions to reduce our emissions, like renewing our fleet with more fuel-efficient aircraft. Looking forward, we believe we have an obligation to our customers, team members, shareholders and the communities we serve to focus and accelerate our transition to operating a low-carbon airline. We view the work ahead as an opportunity to support the change necessary to protect our planet for future generations, and we welcome the accountability that comes with taking this step.”