JetBlue Airways Corporation has said it will become the first large United States airline to offset emissions from all of its domestic flights, aiming to become carbon neutral by July as pressure grows on the industry from climate change activists.
The carrier will also begin using sustainable aviation fuel on its flights from San Francisco International Airport, the New York-based airline said.
Bloomberg newsagency reports JetBlue declined to disclose the cost of the offset program but said it would not increase airfares as a result.
The airline produces about eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year and is working on a plan to compensate for international flights, said Sophia Mendelsohn, JetBlue’s head of sustainability.
Bloomberg reports the carrier is following EasyJet, Europe’s second-largest discounter, which in November announced it would become the first airline to offset carbon emissions from its flights.
As concerns about the industry’s role in climate change have mounted, the number of people taking domestic flights has dropped in Germany and Sweden, where teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has spearheaded a campaign against air travel.
JetBlue Chief Executive Robin Hayes said his airline’s program was not a reaction to that growing criticism.
“This is part of a long-term commitment we and the industry have to have to reflect the climate reality we are in,” he said in an interview.
“Aviation has a central and important role to play, and has to make sure it’s preparing for the new climate we are operating in.”
JetBlue will earn carbon credits by investing in projects that protect forests from destruction; develop solar and wind farms instead of coal, diesel or furnace oil to generate power; and capture landfill production of methane, which can be converted into a renewable energy source.
The airline said its investment is a cost of doing business, though it notes that the expense of carbon offsets is likely to rise with demand.
“By purchasing these now, we’re ostensibly locking in a hedge against rising CO2 prices,” said Ms Mendelsohn.
Other US carriers purchase offsets on a more limited basis.
Bloomberg reports JetBlue is working with sustainability consultants EcoAct and South Pole, as well as Carbonfund.org Foundation, a non-profit organisation that’s funded carbon-reduction and tree-planting projects across more than 40 states and 20 countries.
“We have put an incredible amount of rigor behind making sure these are real, they’re legitimate, they’re auditable, they’re traceable,” Ms Mendelsohn said.
“We selected a carbon offset partner with a long-term reputation that’s survived the squalls of carbon offsetting ups and downs.”
While environmental advocates have praised corporate steps to reduce climate impact, they have also questioned whether buying offsets is enough and said that reducing emissions is more effective.
If the airline industry were a country, it would rank among the top 10 emitters, according to the European Union.
JetBlue also will purchase renewable jet fuel from Finland’s Neste Oyj, mixing between 25 per cent and 40 per cent of the alternative with conventional fuel to power the airline’s 17 daily flights from San Francisco by midyear.
The Neste Oyj fuel is produced from waste and residue raw materials and, according to the manufacturer, can reduce emissions by as much as 80 per cent versus fossil-based jet fuel.
EcoNews is an independent publication that relies on contributions from its readers.
WE’RE BUILDING A PLATFORM WITH A CLEAR FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENT, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL GOOD. CONTRIBUTE AND TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE AN IMPACT.
