British Airways has announced plans to offset the carbon emissions from all of its UK domestic flights from next year.
The move will take effect from January 2020, and will cover up to 75 domestic flights per day between London and ten UK cities.
CO2 Emissions from the carrier’s services within the UK total around 400,000 tonnes per year, and BA says it will be the first UK airline to offset for all domestic flights.
The carrier says it will invest in verified carbon reduction projects worldwide, including renewable energy, rainforest protection and reforestation programmes.
BA will offset on passengers’ behalf for domestic services, while customers on international flights will continue to have the option to pay to offset their emissions – more information on this scheme can be seen here.
In addition the carrier says that from next year its carbon emissions on international flights will be capped through the United Nation’s offsetting scheme, and BA’s parent company IAG has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
IAG says it will achieve this goal “through numerous environmental initiatives, including investing more than US$400m in the development of sustainable aviation fuels over the next 20 years”.
BA recently announced a partnership with Royal Dutch Shell and renewable fuel company Velocys to submit a proposal to build Europe’s first commercial waste to jet fuel plant.
British Airways and Shell plan Europe’s first commercial waste to jet fuel plant
The airline is working with renewable fuels company Velocys, which will see the carrier “supply its aircraft fleet with increasing amounts of sustainable jet fuel in the next decade”.
Commenting on the news Alex Cruz, British Airways’ chairman and chief executive, said:
“British Airways is determined to play its part in reducing aviation’s CO2 emissions. To solve such a multi-faceted issue requires a multi-faceted response and this initiative further demonstrates our commitment to a sustainable future.
“It also follows our announcement to partner with renewable fuels company, Velocys, to build a facility which converts household and commercial waste into renewable sustainable jet fuel to power our fleet.”
The Lufthansa Group recently launched new sustainability platform ‘Compensaid’, enabling passengers to track and offset their individual carbon footprint.
