Aviation experts call for urgent climate action

A global coalition of aviation professionals is calling for urgent and decisive leadership to address the industry’s climate impact. 

The group warns that without immediate action, the aviation industry is heading toward a crisis. They urge leaders to seize the opportunity to transform aviation for a sustainable future.

An intervention based on passion for flying and concern for the planet 
Call Aviation to Action aims to unite aviation professionals who are torn between their passion for flying and their concern for the planet. 

“We
see the good that aviation can do, but we also see that we must reinvent our industry to restore its positive contribution to the world,” said Karel Bockstael, co-founder of the initiative, former Vice President of Sustainability at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

“Aviation is struggling to turn a profit, trapped in growth models and is overly optimistic about the timelines for technology to solve its climate problems. 

“We understand the challenges leaders face, but staying in this race is not an option. Aviation must take
control of its transformation before it is forced to.”

Four actions for 2025 to reinvent aviation 
Based on scientific consensus, the group states that the current path aviation is on cannot be sustained. After performing a thorough analysis, four urgent actions the industry must take by 2025 were identified: 

• Set absolute emission reduction targets in line with carbon budgets, and acknowledge the aviation industry’s responsibility for cumulative emissions – as these are the ones that drive global warming

• Advocate for and help implement
regulation that keeps us within planetary boundaries and really drives innovation, rather than lobbying against climate policies

• Be realistic on the timeline of what technology can bring, and develop a business model that can ensure its sustainability on its own, in time and independent of breakthroughs elsewhere

• Acknowledge that managing global demand in a fair manner is part of the solution especially in regions that have a larger share in historic CO2 emissions

Kickstarting the transition together 
Core to the movement are the
individual actions that professionals working in the aviation ecosystem can take. Speaking up at work is the first one, as illustrated by Karel Bockstael: “We know a lot of people are concerned about the future of our industry and the planet, but mistakenly assume their peers do not. 

“We need to break the silence to address these concerns and encourage our leaders to become part of this transition.” 

“Acknowledging that this can be an inconvenient wake-up call, the initiative focuses on mutual support and community-building to help the industry gather the courage and support it needs to transform, for its own benefit.”