Aviation sustainability is more than just cleaner jet fuel

*Originally published in The Hill Times, April 17th, 2024

What is aviation sustainability?

Is it cleaner jet fuel to reduce the carbon emissions from flights? Is it about making sure airlines adopt a “carbon neutral” framework? Is it frequent fliers paying a little bit extra on their plane tickets to offset their carbon footprint?

The reality is that aviation sustainability is all those things, but it also so much more.

Real sustainability in this sector is about fostering a steady, thoughtful environmental focus in every aspect of aviation. Not only do we want to ensure our actions today do not negatively impact future generations, we want to ensure that this industry is efficient and resilient.

Reflecting on the history of the aviation industry, a parallel between today’s focus on sustainability can be made with aviation safety. About two decades ago, the aviation industry embraced a cultural shift towards organizational safety management, recognizing that safety can’t be achieved by any individual in isolation but requires a collective approach where every job is inextricably connected to and must prioritize safety, every day. Today, we stand at a similar point with sustainability, as the future of aviation will require every job to become a ‘sustainability job.’

Codifying sustainability into future aviation jobs must navigate the delicate balance between social and environmental responsibilities with economic viability. The future of Canada’s aviation industry hinges on integrating sustainability into every facet of our operations – from policy-making to on-the-ground practices.

For example, if hours of flight training are shifted from fuel-burning aircraft into an electric flight simulator, it reduces emissions and cost to students, while producing higher profit-margins for flight schools.? This balance can be difficult as sustainable aviation fuels dramatically cut emissions but cost many times more than traditional fuels, benefiting the environment but harming economic sustainability.

The truth is sustainability is not confined to a single role but is a collective responsibility.? From airport operations to air traffic management, each segment of the aviation network will need to contribute to this overarching goal.

Coming back to jet fuel, flying with sustainable aviation?fuels?(SAF)?is one of the linchpins for achieving the aviation industry’s global 2050 net-zero emissions target. However, the high costs of developing and implementing them could challenge airlines’ balance sheets. Plus, it is expected to take at least a decade for these carbon-friendly fuels to become commonplace and accessible at most airports.

The industry will eventually get there, but in the meantime, work still needs to be done to drive momentum to encourage more sustainable practices in aviation.

Policies like carbon taxes, though well-intentioned, are not a silver bullet to solving our sustainability issue. Taxes, paid largely by air passengers, can have unintended socio-economic repercussions, particularly in regions heavily reliant on tourism.?

Meanwhile, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) terms are becoming integral to aviation businesses, driving them to consider broader environmental and social challenges while linking sustainability to financial performance.

We’ve begun to see these practices in action, but they can fall short of meeting sustainability goals. For example, some air operators have deceived customers and investors with vague environmental claims or announcing they have achieved “carbon-neutral” status without disclosing they did so by purchasing carbon offsets that yielded no climate benefit. Airlines have even decorated their planes with sustainability-focused imagery even if it just means putting on a fresh layer of green paint on their fleet.

Our industry will need to actively combat greenwashing – the deceptive claim of environmental responsibility without substantive action. We must strive for authenticity in our sustainability efforts, ensuring transparent and accountable practices.

The education sector is committed to supporting the aviation industry in this transformation through fostering a new generation of aviation professionals equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the sustainability landscape.

That includes professional development courses to support upskilling challenges and peer-reviewed research that can shed new light on optimized air traffic management.? From pilot training to aircraft design, sustainability principles are being embedded into the aviation curriculum to enable the industry’s future workforce to adopt “green” principles as early as possible.

Aviation’s commitment to sustainability reflects the larger global imperative to fight climate change and prioritize sustainable development. Nations and industries that prioritize sustainable practices today will be in the best position to lead the sector tomorrow.

By embracing sustainability, we can ensure our collective flight path leads to a destination where economic viability, environmental integrity, and social well-being are harmonized, securing a more resilient and prosperous future.