CHICAGO, April 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United
Airlines continues to lead the industry towards a more sustainable
future with the launch of the first-of-its-kind Eco-Skies
Alliance SM program. Working with the
airline, more than a dozen leading global corporations will
collectively contribute towards the purchase of approximately
3.4 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) this year.
With its nearly 80% emissions reductions on a lifecycle basis
compared to conventional jet fuel, this is enough SAF to eliminate
approximately 31,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or
enough to fly passengers over 220 million miles.
As inaugural participants, the following companies are taking a
lead within their respective industries, reducing their
aviation-related impact on the environment at the source, and
creating demand for more SAF production.
- Autodesk
- Boston Consulting Group
- CEVA Logistics
- Deloitte
- DHL Global Forwarding
- DSV Panalpina
- HP Inc.
- Nike
- Palantir
- Siemens
- Takeda Pharmaceuticals
"While we've partnered with companies for years to help them
offset their flight emissions, we applaud those participating in
the Eco-Skies Alliance for recognizing the need to go beyond carbon
offsets and support SAF-powered flying, which will lead to more
affordable supply and ultimately, lower emissions," said United CEO
Scott Kirby. "This is just the
beginning. Our goal is to add more companies to the Eco-Skies
Alliance program, purchase more SAF and work across industries to
find other innovative paths towards decarbonization."
United has made the airline industry's single largest investment
in SAF and has purchased more SAF than any other airline in
the world. World Energy, a long-term partner of United, will supply
the SAF to Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX), which makes it conveniently accessible
to United's operations.
Customers traveling with United can now
purchase SAF
In addition to the Eco-Skies Alliance program, United is giving
customers the ability to contribute funds for additional SAF
purchase or for use on initiatives United believes will help
decarbonize aviation – the first of any U.S. airline to do so.
Understanding there is a growing interest among customers for real,
lasting solutions, this new capability will be available starting
immediately via portal on united.com/ecoskiesalliance.
Advocating for sustainable travel, together
with United
Strong federal and state policy leadership will be essential to
reducing the climate impacts of air travel, so starting immediately
United will help individuals connect with elected representatives
to advocate for policies that would make air travel more
sustainable for the long term. United will be the first airline in
the world to connect customers directly with policy makers to voice
the support that is needed to advance and accelerate permanent,
scalable solutions that hold the potential to decarbonize the air
transportation industry – and not just offset emissions.
"We know there is a growing demand from a wide range of
our customers including corporations, cargo shippers and
individuals who share the same concern we do – that climate change
is the most pressing issue of our generation," Kirby said.
United's 100% Green Commitment
At United, we believe the airline industry needs to be bolder
when it comes to making decisions that confront the climate crisis.
That's why we've committed to become 100% green and reduce our
greenhouse gas emissions 100% by 2050 by taking the harder, better
path of reducing emissions from flying, rather than relying on
traditional carbon offsets.
Here are some of the ways we're
making sustainability the new standard in flight:
- In February 2021, we announced an
agreement to work with Archer Aviation to accelerate the
development and production of their electric aircraft – an urban
mobility solution that has the potential to serve as an 'air taxi,'
giving United customers another opportunity to reduce their carbon
footprint before they even board a United flight.
- In 2020, we became the first airline to announce a commitment
to invest in carbon capture and sequestration by committing to a
multimillion-dollar investment in 1PointFive, a joint venture
between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Rusheen Capital that plans to
build the first industrial-sized Direct Air Capture plant in
the United States. A single plant
is expected to capture and permanently sequester one million tons
of CO2 each year, the equivalent of the work of 40
million trees, but covering a land area about 3,000 times
smaller.
- In 2019, we committed $40 million
toward an investment initiative focused on accelerating the
development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and other
decarbonization technologies. That same year, we operated the
Flight for the Planet, which represented the most-eco-friendly
commercial flight of its kind in the history of commercial
aviation.
- In 2018, we became the first U.S. airline to commit to reducing
its greenhouse gas emissions—50% by 2050.
- In 2016, we became the first airline globally to use SAF in
regular operations on a continuous basis with SAF from World
Energy.
- In 2015, we invested $30 million
in Fulcrum BioEnergy, a SAF producer that converts trash to
low-carbon jet fuel, the largest investment by any airline in a SAF
producer. Through the associated purchase agreement, United has
nearly half the global airline industry's publicly announced
commitments for SAF.
United's Award-Winning Eco-Skies
Program
United's award-winning Eco-Skies® program represents the
company's commitment to the environment and the actions taken every
day to create a more sustainable future. The Carbon Disclosure
Project (CDP) named United as the only airline globally to its 2020
Climate 'A List' for the airline's actions to cut emissions,
mitigate climate risks and develop the low-carbon economy, marking
the seventh consecutive year that United had the highest CDP score
among U.S. airlines.
In 2017, Air Transport World magazine named United its
Eco-Airline of the Year for the second time since the airline
launched the Eco-Skies program. Additionally, United ranked No. 1
among global carriers inNewsweek's2017 Global 500 Green Rankings,
one of the most recognized environmental performance assessments of
the world's largest publicly traded companies. For more information
on United's commitment to environmental sustainability, visit
united.com/sustainability.
About United
United's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the
World." For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on
Twitter and Instagram or connect on Facebook. The common stock of
UAL is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL."
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SOURCE United Airlines