Air New Zealand has made headlines by becoming the first major airline to retreat from a climate goal of cutting carbon emissions by 2030, citing challenges in securing more efficient aircraft and sustainable jet fuel. The airline’s decision highlights the broader struggles within the aviation sector, which is responsible for approximately 2% of global CO2 emissions. The industry’s efforts to mitigate its environmental impact include modernizing fleets and adopting Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), but these initiatives face significant obstacles. The Challenge of Meeting Ambitious Targets In 2022, Air New Zealand set an ambitious target to reduce its emissions by nearly 29% by 2030, starkly contrasting the global aviation industry’s more modest 5% reduction goal for the same period. However, recent developments have forced the airline to reconsider this target. “In recent months, and more so in the last few weeks, it has also become apparent that potential delays to our fleet renewal plan pose an additional risk to the target’s achievability,” said Greg Foran, Air New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer. The Role of Sustainable Aviation Fuels SAFs are a cornerstone of the aviation sector’s strategy to lower emissions. Despite their potential, airlines have encountered significant challenges securing sufficient quantities of […]