Cathay Pacific Publishes Sustainable Development Report; Commits to Net-Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050

Cathay Pacific has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, becoming one of the first airlines in Asia to establish a timeline for making carbon neutrality a reality.

The airline’s commitment precedes the release of the Group’s Sustainable Development Report 2020, which details the group’s strategy and performance in environmental, social and governance aspects.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer, , said, “The unprecedented pandemic has shaken the world and showed us that ‘business as usual’ is not an option when dealing with an imminent global risk. Climate change, potentially a much more disruptive crisis, calls for ramped-up efforts,” said Augustus Tang, Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer. “Our net-zero pledge aligns with the requirements laid out in the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Paris Agreement, and provides the focus we need in aligning our strategy – from fleet planning and carbon offsetting to further investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel and the development of new technologies.”

The key focus areas to reach carbon neutrality include:

Investing in Sustainable Aviation Fuel: Cathay Pacific is increasing its use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with the aim of making it viable for mainstream adoption. Compared to traditional jet fuel, SAF can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80%.

In 2014, Cathay Pacific became the first airline investor in Fulcrum BioEnergy, a pioneer in converting everyday household waste into SAF. The airline has committed to purchasing 1.1 million tonnes of SAF over 10 years, which will cover around 2% of our total fuel requirements from 2023 onwards.

Offsetting our Carbon Emissions: Cathay Pacific’s carbon offset programme, Fly Greener, gives passengers the opportunity to purchase offsets based on the CO2 emissions generated from their flight. Those contributions go directly towards Gold Standard-accredited third-party projects that actively reduce emissions.

The airline has also been offsetting all the emissions from its employees’ business travel since the launch of the programme in 2007. To date, the programme has offset over 300,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Reducing Emissions Through Efficiency Enhancement: Cathay Pacific has invested in a new fuel-efficient fleet and has reduced engine use on the ground. The group is also committed to cutting its ground emissions by 32% from the 2018 baseline before the end of 2030.

The aviation industry contributed less than 3% of the world’s man-made CO2 emissions prior to the COVID19 pandemic.

Download Cathay Pacific's 129-page, 17.5MB Sustainable Development Report 2020 here.

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