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Sustainability

UNWAVERING FOCUS

Sustainability is high on the priority list for most

players in the aerospace industry

By Arun Sivasankaran

f you want to know how serious the aerospace goal of net zero by 2050 is attainable. While 46% of the
and defence industry is in meeting the challenge respondents believe the industry will meet its goal, 32%
of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, said it will not. On average, respondents believe the
I look no further than the results of a recent GE target will be met by 2055. The majority of those who
Aerospace-commissioned survey of aviation decision took part in the survey believe advancements in both
makers. fuels and engines will play the biggest role in reach-
ing the goal. Increased sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)
The survey, conducted in May this year by Ipsos, elicited investment is the most important role that government
responses from 325 top aviation executives in the U.S., can play in helping industry reach the 2050 goal, says
the U.K., China, India, the UAE, and France. While 76% the survey.
of the respondents — who represent airlines, airfram-
ers, and airports, among others — say that the focus “These results show that the aviation industry is focused
on sustainability has fundamentally changed the way on the goal of achieving net zero CO2 emissions by
the industry operates, 30 percent were of the view that 2050, while also recognizing the need to accelerate
meeting aviation’s sustainability goal is the number one efforts and ensure all key stakeholders are on the play-
challenge the industry is facing, even over supply chain ing field,” says Allen Paxson, vice president and general
and labor issues. manager of commercial programmes strategy for GE
Aerospace.
According to the survey, 88 percent of companies
already have a sustainability strategy in place. More Initiatives Galore
than 70% of those interviewed said their company’s
sustainability strategy has an impact on how they invest Among GE Aerospace’s sustainability initiatives is the
and operate while 74 percent averred that their com- CFM RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable
pany’s sustainability investments will be maintained or Engines) programme, which involves CFM parent com-
grow even in the face of inflation or recession. panies GE and Safran Aircraft Engines. The program
involves working on a suite of new technologies such
Tough but Attainable Goal as open-fan architecture to achieve at least 20 per-
cent better fuel efficiency with 20 percent lower CO2
Even with the progress the industry is making towards emissions than the most efficient engines today. Airbus
green air travel, not everyone is convinced that the is supporting RISE and will partner with CFM to carry

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