Emirates has announced that it has committed $200million (R3,8bn) to fund R&D projects focused on reducing the impact of fossil fuels in commercial aviation.
EK says this is the biggest single commitment towards sustainability by an airline, with funds to be paid out over three years. It plans to identify partnerships with organisations working on advanced fuel and energy technology solutions.
“We looked long and hard at the reality we face in commercial aircraft and engine technology, fuel supply chain, and our industry’s regulatory and eco-system requirements. It’s clear that with the current pathways available to airlines in terms of emissions reduction, our industry won’t be able to hit nett-zero targets in the prescribed timeline. We believe our industry needs better solutions, and that’s why we’re looking to partner with leading organisations on R&D,” says Emirates Airline President Tim Clark.
Clark stresses the fund is not for operating costs like the purchase of SAF or carbon offsets, which EK considers “business as usual”.
Emirates’ Environmental Sustainability Executive Steering Group will administer payments from the fund with support from technical experts.
The airline has an extensive fuel efficiency programme that investigates ways to reduce unnecessary fuel burn and emissions wherever operationally feasible.
