Sustainable Procurement News

China Eastern Airlines participated in the 2024 ESG Global Leaders Conference, held on October 16 in Shanghai, as the sole representative from the civil aviation sector. The airline delivered a keynote address and showcased its latest achievements in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development.

Themed “Uniting for Global Prosperity,” the conference brought together more than 800 global participants, including notable figures such as Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. Leaders from top international organizations, Nobel Prize laureates, and industry experts also joined the discussions on topics such as green finance, energy sustainability, and the pursuit of “dual carbon” goals.

“It’s not about flying less, it’s about flying differently,” Louise Haigh told the Airlines 2024 event in London today.

It comes as the Labour administration – which took power in July with a promise to deliver a larger economy and accelerate net-zero commitments – relaunches the Jet Zero Taskforce aimed at advancing sustainable aviation and prepares to introduce from 1 January a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate that will initially require 2% of UK jet fuel to be SAF.

The taskforce – announced by Haigh ahead of the event – replaces the previous Jet Zero Council. It will be a “CEO-level” group comprising the secretaries of state for transport, business and trade, and energy security and net zero, along with representatives of airlines, airlines, trade bodies, fuel producers, and universities.

The controversial new green plans, opposed by the industry, were agreed by officials on Friday
Airlines operating flights from European airports will soon have to report the estimated climate impact of vapour trails from jet engines to the European Commission, as well as the amount of carbon dioxide they emit annually.

The airline industry had lobbied hard against the new rules — adopted by government delegates behind closed doors on Friday (30 August) — saying there wasn't enough research data on the effects of contrails.

Announced during Delta’s CES 2025 keynote, Delta will be a key partner with Airbus’ UpNext innovation lab; Airbus to also invest in scaling the production of sustainable aviation fuel through Minnesota SAF Hub.

The European Climate Law sets an economy-wide target of at least 55% net greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Alongside carbon pricing, the EU ETS funds an Innovation Fund to support innovative clean tech projects, including in the aviation sector aiming to reduce the sector’s climate impacts[1], as well as specific support to bridge the cost difference for the use of alternative fuels. 

The 2023 revision of the EU ETS Directive provides a support mechanism for the use of eligible aviation fuels. To incentivise early uptake of the best-performing alternative fuels in terms of emissions reduction potential, 20 million EU ETS allowances, estimated at around €1.6 billion, are set aside from 1 January 2024. 

Despite contributing just 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, the airline industry is responsible for 4% of global warming. Contrary to popular belief, the answer isn’t just Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), nor is it currently economically viable. So, what are airlines and airports doing?

At Routes Asia, Perth Airport, Cebu Pacific Airlines, the Malaysian Airport Authority, and Mactan–Cebu International Airport convened to discuss their sustainability efforts, goals, and strategies.

We haven’t made as much progress as we wanted, or is needed, on decarbonising the aviation sector, IATA Director General Willie Walsh said in his end-of-year industry briefing to the media in Geneva. Blame was attached to governments and big oil producers for the slow investment in sustainable aviation fuel facilities, with anticipated SAF production in 2024 falling significantly short of IATA’s own expectations. Aircraft and engine manufacturers also came in for criticism over supply chain challenges that had resulted in a big shortfall of new, more fuel-efficient aircraft deliveries this year, with the result that the global fleet was on average older than ever, leading to environmental and economic consequences. However, the airline industry as a whole is on the road to a full recovery from the pandemic and global passenger numbers in 2025 are expected to pass the five billion mark for the first time, although the sector’s CO2 emissions may also reach an all-time high.

Boeing has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability by taking significant steps to increase renewable-energy usage in its factories while making substantial investments in aerospace technologies aimed at reducing fuel consumption, emissions and noise. Boeing has also purchased more sustainable aviation fuel for its commercial operations.

The company's dedication to sustainability and its achievements are outlined in Boeing's recent report, titled: “Sustainable Aerospace Together”. The report serves as a platform for Boeing to share its vision and the path it intends to take towards establishing a sustainable aerospace industry. 

Days ahead of the opening of the Paris Air Show, the Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) of seven major aerospace manufacturers have published a joint manifesto calling on governments and industry to accelerate the production and supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). 

In the statement, the CTOs of Airbus, Boeing, Dassault Aviation, GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Safran come out in support of the 2050 net zero objective. While the text vaguely alludes to work in new propulsion technologies, it places the focus on SAF as the key technology that would make the attainment of this goal possible. 

The CTOs make also clear they support policies that are designed to facilitate the growth of the SAF industry, such as those contained in the US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) or the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation initiative. 

In a competitive airline industry where operational efficiency, sustainability, and passenger experience are key priorities, Spirit Airlines has emerged as a leader with one of the youngest fleets in the world. The airline has been recognized in 2025 for its modern all-Airbus fleet, securing North America’s 3rd Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award and the World’s 5th Youngest Aircraft Fleet Award for airlines with over 100 aircraft.

This recognition, awarded by ch-aviation, a prominent airline intelligence provider, highlights Spirit’s commitment to efficiency, environmental responsibility, and cost-effective travel solutions. Industry analysts have pointed out that a younger fleet translates to lower operational costs, reduced environmental impact, and an overall improved experience for travelers, positioning Spirit Airlines as a key player in the evolving aviation landscape.

Airlines are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
In the meantime, there are things airlines can do – and in many cases are already doing – to rein in their emissions.
Some of the steps include better flight plans and improved ground operations.

Half the airlines in the ranking scored zero for their insufficient uptake of sustainable aviation fuels.
87 per cent of airlines are failing in the transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), a new ranking by Transport & Environment (T&E) shows.

Only 10 out of 77 airlines are making noteworthy efforts to switch to truly sustainable alternatives from fossil kerosene.

The remaining 67 are either buying too little SAF, the wrong kind of SAF or are not considering SAFs at all in their decarbonisation plans.

A large part of the blame lies with oil companies, T&E says, who are not investing in the transition to green kerosene.

The global airline industry, a cornerstone of global connectivity and economic activity, is poised for significant transformations by 2025. Technological advancements, evolving consumer preferences, and a growing emphasis on sustainability are driving these changes, reshaping both long-haul and short-haul travel dynamics. As airlines adapt to these trends, they must navigate opportunities and challenges to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

As part of a new Aviation White Paper mapping out the nation’s air transport strategy to 2050, the Australian government has announced a package of measures to help advance production and use of sustainable aviation fuel and other low carbon liquid fuels (LCLF). Central to the government’s sustainable aviation plans are increased research into production pathways for new fuels, consideration of incentives for domestic feedstock and fuel production, and protocols to track and verify the green credentials of SAF and renewable diesel. Neighbouring New Zealand is also exploring measures to help decarbonise aviation as part of stage 2 of its national Emissions Reduction Plan and has sought industry feedback. In a joint response, the airline and airport sectors welcomed the focus on air transport but said the plan lacked concrete steps to develop appropriate policies. They urged the government to work towards regional solutions, specifically by mirroring Australia’s LCLF consultation process with industry.

A new report on the European aviation sector’s environmental performance sets out measures on how to reduce aviation’s impact on climate change, noise and air quality, and ensure Europe meets its goal of climate-neutrality by 2050. In particular, the report recommends focusing on measures such as increasing the use of sustainable aviation fuels, making the most of air traffic management optimisations and adopting more fuel-efficient technologies. By implementing these measures, emissions could be reduced by at least to two thirds by 2050. 

More than two-thirds of consumers surveyed in a study in selected markets consider sustainability aspects to be important or extremely important when traveling for leisure, and 73% expect sustainability to become more important over the next five years.

Following a dip in 2020, tourism globally is again on the rise and is expected to reach $17 trillion in size by 2027, compared to $11 trillion prior to Covid-19.

Bain & Company’s new research study, ‘Sustainable Tourism: An Untapped Opportunity for Green Growth’, reveals that there is an increasing appetite for more sustainable tourism among leisure travellers across the globe, who will choose destinations and providers (airlines, hotels, restaurants, and tour companies) based on their sustainability records and are starting to pay a premium for it.

The ambitious project, representing a multi-billion dollar investment to ensure Emirates’ customers “fly better” for the coming years, aims to be “environmental friendly” and also includes plans for a 4th cabin class, called Premium Economy.

The target is to completely retrofit four Emirates aircraft from start to finish every month, continuously for over 2 years. Once the 67 earmarked A380s are refreshed and back in service, some 53 777s will undergo their facelift.

Broadly, most airline leaders are still in agreement on the principles. The industry has a net-zero roadmap, which talks up the airline sector’s desperation for more sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), saying government regulation is needed to encourage the huge rise in production that is required. IATA has made sure that it is adding detail to the planning, whether for SAF or other key contributors to the roadmap. It also acknowledges that no-one can confidently predict the mix of factors that will eventually deliver net-zero emissions.

But it is important to note that as the airline industry makes positive steps across the sustainability landscape, fault-lines are also becoming more evident.

Saudi Arabia’s newly launched airline Riyadh Air, the latest addition to the Kingdom’s 2030 diversification strategy, is all set to become the next big thing in the aviation industry.

Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, sat down with Al Arabiya and shared how the new airline aims to become a “thought leader” in the aviation sector, with a strong focus on sustainability and technology.

With a fleet of 72 advanced Boeing 787-Dreamliners, the airline looks to become the future of aviation with the latest aircraft designs and unique customer experience.