Southwest Airlines announced today a ten-year plan to maintain carbon neutrality, including a series of goals, actions, and initiatives aimed at reducing emissions per seat mile, increase sustainable aviation fuel use, and offset remaining emissions.
Southwest aims to reduce its carbon emissions per available seat mile, including Scopes 1 and 2 by at least 20% by 2030 through fleet modernization, route optimization, and the electrification of eligible ground services equipment, among others.
The airline also aims to replace 10% of its total jet fuel consumption with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030 and has announced SAF collaborations and partnerships with companies including Neste, Marathon Petroleum, Phillips 66, Deloitte, Siemens, and Zurich North America.
To offset emissions, Southwest will provide the first U.S-based airline carbon offset offer with loyalty points. The airline is also sourcing 100% renewable electricity as of May 2021 for the carrier’s Dallas corporate campus through the purchase of renewable energy certificates.
Bob Jordan, Executive Vice President and Incoming CEO at Southwest Airlines, said:
“As a leading global citizen, we’re building on prior efforts to address our environmentalEnvironmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature. impact, and with today’s announcement, we’re setting goals to reduce our carbon emission intensity and increase SAF in our operations; and we’re working to advance knowledge in the field of sustainability.”
Looking forward, the airline also aims to expand its efforts beyond the ten-year time frame with the objective to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Stacy Malphurs, Vice President of Supply Chain Management & EnvironmentalEnvironmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature. Sustainability for Southwest, said:
“Southwest is making sustainability a priority in order to continue connecting Customers to what’s important in their lives while striving to achieve our carbon neutrality. Our goal to reduce, replace, offset, and partner are important next steps in the journey to build a holistic approach to improve our environmentalEnvironmental criteria consider how a company performs as a steward of nature. sustainability.”
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