CHICAGO, Dec. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United
Airlines today is taking its most ambitious step yet in leading the
fight against climate change: pledging to become 100% green by
reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 100% by 2050.
United, which in 2018 became the first U.S. airline to commit to
reducing its GHG emissions by 50% by 2050, will advance towards
carbon neutrality by committing to a multimillion-dollar investment
in revolutionary atmospheric carbon capture technology known as
Direct Air Capture – rather than indirect measures like
carbon-offsetting – in addition to continuing to invest in the
development and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). With this
unprecedented announcement, United becomes the first airline in the
world to announce a commitment to invest in Direct Air Capture
technology.
"As the leader of one of the world's largest airlines, I
recognize our responsibility in contributing to fight climate
change, as well as our responsibility to solve it," said
Scott Kirby, United's chief
executive officer. "These game-changing technologies will
significantly reduce our emissions, and measurably reduce the speed
of climate change – because buying carbon offsets alone is just not
enough. Perhaps most importantly, we're not just doing it to meet
our own sustainability goal; we're doing it to drive the positive
change our entire industry requires so that every airline can
eventually join us and do the same."
Investment in Direct Air Capture
Technology
Rather than simply taking a conventional approach to
decarbonization by relying solely on the purchase of carbon
offsets, United intends to make a multimillion-dollar investment in
1PointFive, Inc., a partnership between Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, a
subsidiary of Occidental (NYSE:OXY), and Rusheen Capital
Management. 1PointFive's mission is to curb the rise in global
temperatures by physically removing carbon dioxide (CO2)
from the air using Direct Air Capture technology licensed from
Carbon Engineering.
Direct Air Capture technology is one of the few proven ways to
physically correct for aircraft emissions, and can scale to capture
millions and potentially billions of metric tons of
CO2 per year. The captured
CO2 will then be permanently, safely and securely stored
deep underground by Occidental, a process certified by independent
third parties. The commitment – the first to be announced in the
aviation industry – will help 1PointFive 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.
Investments in Sustainable Aviation
Fuel
With up to 80% less lifecycle carbon emissions than conventional
jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel is the fastest and most
effective way United is reducing its emissions. Among
all airlines globally, United holds more than 50% of all publicly
announced future purchase commitments to using SAF and has the
longest history of using SAF of any U.S. airline. Last year, United
renewed its contract with Boston-based World Energy, agreeing to
purchase up to 10 million gallons of cost-competitive SAF. United
has used this SAF to help sustainably power every flight departing
its Los Angeles hub since
2016.
Additionally, United has invested more than $30 million in California-based sustainable fuel producer
Fulcrum BioEnergy, which remains the single largest investment by
any airline globally in a sustainable fuel producer.
Since 2016, United has used the most SAF of any airline globally
and has flown:
- 26 million passengers on flights powered with a SAF blend
- 44 billion passenger-miles on flights powered with a SAF
blend
- 215,000 flights powered with a SAF blend
United's Commitment to the Environment
United's commitment to becoming carbon-neutral by 2050
represents yet another leadership position the airline has taken to
reduce its impact on the environment. United's significant
environmental achievements include:
- Becoming the first airline globally to incorporate SAF in
regular operations on a continuous basis, marking a significant
milestone in the industry by moving beyond test programs and
demonstrations to the everyday use of low-carbon fuel in ongoing
operations
- In 2019, we committed $40 million
toward an investment initiative focused on accelerating the
development of SAF and other decarbonization technologies
- Operating the Flight for the Planet in 2019, which
represented the most-eco-friendly commercial flight of its kind in
the history of commercial aviation
- Becoming the first airline to fly with Boeing's Split Scimitar
winglets, which reduce fuel consumption by an additional 2% versus
standard winglets; United is the largest Scimitar winglet operator
today, with nearly 400 aircraft equipped with these winglets
- Becoming the first U.S. airline to repurpose items from the
carrier's international premium cabin amenity kits and partnering
with Clean the World to donate hygiene products to those in
critical need
- Eliminating non-recyclable plastic stirring sticks and
cocktail picks on aircraft and replacing them with a more
environmentally friendly product made of 100% bamboo
- Continuing to replace its eligible ground equipment with
cleaner, electrically powered alternatives, with nearly 45% of the
fleet converted to date
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. Earlier this month, the
Carbon Disclosure Project named United as the only airline globally
to its 2020 '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 in Newsweek's 2017 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/ecoskies.
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
United's parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., is traded on the
Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Certain statements in this release are forward-looking and thus
reflect our current expectations and beliefs with respect to
certain current and future events. Such forward-looking statements
are and will be subject to many risks and uncertainties relating to
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results to differ materially from any future results expressed or
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future events, changed circumstances or otherwise, except as
required by applicable law. Our actual results could differ
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factors including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties
set forth under Part I, Item 1A., "Risk Factors," of our Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, as updated by our Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, as well as other risks and
uncertainties set forth from time to time in the reports we file
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
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SOURCE United Airlines