UAE – Mubasher: Etihad Airways on Wednesday announced a commitment to minimise its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050, according to a company statement.

The company’s ambitious target is set to be achieved through internal initiatives, collaboration with industry partners, and adoption of a comprehensive programme of relevant carbon offsets.

“Etihad Aviation Group, together with its partners, is taking an active role in reducing the impact of aviation on the environment through initiatives ranging from optimised fuel management to sustainable financing practices,” Etihad Aviation Group’s CEO Tony Douglas commented.

Etihad’s new environment commitment was announced during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, which is a global platform for accelerating the world’s sustainable development.

“Airlines have attracted significant scrutiny in the global discussion of the environment, and our collective challenge as a fast-growing industry is to deliver meaningful initiatives which can quickly help to contain and reduce carbon emissions,” Douglas said.

It is worth highlighting that the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicted that the number of passenger journeys will more than double within 20 years, from 4.5 billion in 2019 to an estimated 9 billion by the late 2030s.