Boeing jets emissions data highlights industry's green challenge

Commercial jets delivered by Boeing last year will account on average for emissions equivalent to 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each over their 20-year-plus lifespans, a new report from the planemaker shows. Boeing is the latest company to report so-called Scope 3 emissions that result when customers use their products, amid pressure from investors and climate activists for data on how companies are performing on limiting their environmental impact. The report sheds further light on the task facing global aviation as it faces calls by environmental groups for curbs to air travel and growing political pressure to cut emissions, after Europe's Airbus issued similar data in February. Together, the world's two largest planemakers in 2020 delivered jets estimated to be responsible for total emissions equivalent to 600m tonnes of CO2 over their lifetimes, a figure dampened by lower deliveries during the pandemic. Aviation produces up to 3% of man-made CO2 emissions and 12% of CO2 from transport, the industry says. It has pledged to reduce net carbon emissions to 50% of 2005 levels by 2050, but is moving towards a tougher target of eliminating net emissions. Boeing aims to "significantly reduce our environmental impact during every stage of a product’s life cycle," CE Dave Calhoun said introducing the Chicago-based company's first-ever sustainability report on Monday. Calhoun reiterated that its jets would fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuels by 2030. Jet engines are currently certified to run on up to 50% of the fuel. In the report, Boeing said commercial airplanes it delivered in 2020 would be responsible for emissions equivalent to 158 million tonnes of CO2, or MtCO2e, over their lifespan. That consists of 136 million tonnes of emissions directly linked to their operation by airlines, and 22 million tonnes related to the production by energy companies of the fuel used in flight.<br/>