Air New Zealand, the country's flagship carrier, has announced it will drop its 2030 carbon intensity reduction target, citing challenges in fleet renewal and fuel availability. This decision comes as the airline faces delays in the delivery of new, more fuel-efficient aircraft and struggles with the high cost and limited supply of sustainable aviation fuel.
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The carrier had set a goal to reduce carbon intensity by 28.9% by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, as part of its efforts to align with the global aviation industry's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. However, the airline has now acknowledged that these targets are no longer feasible due to the current challenges. In a statement, Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said that it had become apparent in recent weeks that new aircraft delivery delays posed a significant risk to the target's achievability. "It is possible the airline may need to retain its existing fleet for longer than planned due to global manufacturing and supply chain issues," he said.
The airline will now work on a new near-term carbon emissions reduction target that better reflects the current challenges in the aviation industry. This includes the availability of new aircraft and the affordability and availability of alternative jet fuels. Aviation is considered one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize, as fuel for flights cannot be easily replaced with other kinds of power.
While airlines are banking on plant-based Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and more efficient aircraft to reduce emissions in the near term, the production of SAF is expensive and challenging to ramp up, and plane manufacturers are struggling to deliver new-generation aircraft on time. Air New Zealand's decision to drop its 2030 carbon intensity reduction target highlights the difficulties faced by the aviation industry in meeting its decarbonization goals. It also raises questions about the feasibility of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, as global manufacturing and supply chain issues continue to hinder the sector's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.