Alaska Airlines today announced its commitment and roadmap to reduce the company’s carbon emissions to net-zero by 2040, and commitments across carbon, waste, and water impacts by 2025.
Today’s announcement included the release of Alaska’s 2020 LIFT Sustainability Report detailing the company’s broader climate change strategy, including waste and water initiatives.
Alaska, together with its regional subsidiary Horizon Air, identified the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as the company’s most important opportunity for environmental action.
“At Alaska Airlines, we know that travel can make a big difference in people’s lives,” said Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci.
“Air travel connects us to our friends and families, helps us understand one another, and helps communities across the globe grow and thrive.
“But we know that to live our purpose, creating an airline people love, we must operate every day in a way that cares for both people and our planet.
“That’s why we’ve set out on this bold path to reduce our climate impact near and long term.”
Alaska’s roadmap to 2040 includes five focus areas to reach net-zero emissions:
- Fleet renewal
- Operational efficiency
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
- Novel propulsion
- Credible, high-quality carbon offsetting technology
With a recent Boeing 737 MAX order, Alaska’s newest aircraft have 22% better fuel-efficiency on a seat-by-seat basis than the aircraft they replace.
“After a difficult year, this is an exciting time for our company, as we return to growth while embedding sustainability even deeper in our culture, set bold goals and collaborate with innovative partners to keep our company, our communities, and our environment strong and healthy for the long term,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of public affairs and sustainability.
“The pandemic sharpened the clarity of our purpose and led us a stronger path forward.
“But we also know we can’t do this alone and that we must work together with government, manufacturers, innovators and other industry partners to decarbonize aviation.”
