Gol airline vows to zero carbon emissions by 2050

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Gol used Earth Day to announce an ambitious pledge: to zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 – it was the first commitment in this direction made by an airline company in Latin America. To achieve this, investments will be made in new technologies, including the production of sustainable fuels; in addition to operational, infrastructure and logistics improvements.

Airplanes are in the sights of several governments to reduce pollution levels and, in the case of France, flights have been banned for journeys that take up to two and a half hours by train. According to data from the United Nations Organization (UNO), airplanes were emitting 781 million tons of carbon dioxide per year in 2016. And since then, the demand for flights has grown.

The aviation industry had set new, more sustainable goals in 2010, during the assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), when the organization predicted neutral CO2 growth after a decade of annual reductions of 1.5% in emissions. With this, in 2050, the gas emissions in airplanes should reach half of the level observed in 2005.

If the average 2% gain in fuel efficiency over the last ten years has been achieved by airlines, it remains to be defined what the mechanisms will be to cut CO2 by half. This commitment is even more challenging considering that IATA forecasts 7.2 billion travelers by 2035. In 2019, there were 4.5 billion (during the pandemic, it dropped 60%).

Last year, Gol received the Environmental Assessment certificate from the International Air Transport Association. In “Stage 1”, it attests that the company has developed a solid environmental policy and established responsibilities for the topic. According to the company, the goal is to reach “Stage 2”, equivalent to ISO 14,000, which attests to the environmental management, in 2021.

It also reiterated its commitment to the limits set by the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction System for International Aviation (CORSIA), which provides for the limitation and compensation of any annual increase in total carbon emissions from international civil aviation above the levels produced last year and in force until 2035.

With respect to ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) practices, Gol says it has promoted research, actions, public awareness and professional training, in addition to encouraging a more sustainable organizational culture. And, to meet the goals over the next 29 years, the pillars to be followed were defined by ICAO and ratified by IATA.

Source: Exame