· From today easyJet will be the first major airline to offset the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights on behalf of all of its customers
· easyJet and Airbus sign hybrid-electric aircraft research agreement which will analyse the opportunities and challenges surrounding hybrid and electric aircraft
· The airline will continue to support the long-term reinvention of aviation through new technology
easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has today announced that it will become the world’s first major airline to operate net-zero carbon flights across its whole network. The airline will achieve this goal by offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights, starting today.
easyJet will undertake carbon offsetting through schemes accredited by two of the highest verification standards, Gold Standard and VCS. They will include forestry, renewable and community based projects.
Carbon offsetting is only an interim measure while new technologies are developed, so the airline will continue to support innovative technology, including the development of hybrid and electric planes, working with others across the industry to reinvent and de-carbonise aviation over the long-term. The aim will be for easyJet to reduce the amount of carbon offsetting undertaken as new technologies emerge.
As part of this goal, we have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus related to a joint research project on hybrid and electric aircraft. The MoU is an important step towards furthering the industry’s understanding of the operational and infrastructure opportunities and challenges of plug-in hybrid and full electric aircraft.
easyJet and Airbus will cooperate on three distinct work packages set to define the impacts and the requirements necessary for the large-scale introduction of next generation sustainable aircraft on infrastructure and every-day commercial aircraft operations.
easyJet has been supporting Wright Electric over the last two years, which is aiming to produce an all-electric ‘easyJet sized’ plane which could be used for short haul flights. The airline is also working with Rolls Royce and Safran on new technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of flying.
easyJet will also aim to stimulate innovation in carbon reduction by supporting the development of technologies which will enable hybrid electric and electric planes and championing advanced carbon capture technologies. We will look to use these technologies as well as sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) as they become available and commercially viable.
With electric technology still in development we will continue to work on additional short and medium term actions to drive a reduction in our carbon emissions. This could include the introduction of technologies such as e-taxiing and electric APUs and the reduction of carbon emissions from easyJet’s non-flying activities through, for example, the use of renewable energy. We also plan to encourage both governments and industry to focus in this area, most notably on airspace efficiency improvements and ensuring that the regulatory regime supports further reductions in emissions by incentivising more efficient flying and supporting innovation – for example through tax incentives.
All of this will build on easyJet’s existing carbon reduction programmes, which include: transitioning our fleet to increasingly more modern, fuel efficient planes; flying them in order to avoid noise and an unnecessary use of fuel; and maximising passenger loads as much as possible.
Since 2000 easyJet has reduced the carbon emissions for each kilometre flown by a passenger by over a third (33.67%). Initiatives have included introducing light weight carpets, trolleys and seats, single engine taxiing and removing paper manuals from aircraft.
In 2013 easyJet established a public target to reduce its carbon emissions per passenger kilometre. The target was strengthened in 2015 to a 10% reduction on carbon emissions per passenger kilometre by 2022 on its 2016 performance.
easyJet is also committing to action beyond carbon, such as to rapidly reduce waste and single-use plastic usage at the company and within its supply chain.
Johan Lundgren, easyJet’s CEO, said:
“Climate change is an issue for all of us. At easyJet we are tackling this challenge head on by choosing to offset the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of our flights starting today. In doing so we are committing to operating net-zero carbon flights across our network – a world first by any major airline.
“We acknowledge that offsetting is only an interim measure until other technologies become available to radically reduce the carbon emissions of flying, but we want to take action on carbon now.
“People have a choice in how they travel and people are now thinking about the potential carbon impact of different types of transport. But many people still want to fly and if people choose to fly we want to be one of the best choices they can make.
“easyJet has a long tradition of efficient flying – the aircraft we fly and the way we fly them means that easyJet is already more efficient than many airlines. However, our priority is to continue to work on reducing our carbon footprint in the short term, coupled with long-term work to support the development of new technology, including electric planes which aspire to radically reduce the carbon footprint of aviation.
“I am therefore delighted that we have also announced today a new electric plane partnership with Airbus. We will be working together to identify the detailed technical challenges and requirements for electric and electric hybrid planes when deployed for short haul flying around Europe. We hope this will be an important step towards making electric planes a reality.
“Aviation will have to reinvent itself as quickly as it can. This is the reason why we have been supporting Wright Electric since 2017 and are working with Airbus, and Safran on new technologies.
“We also need governments to support efforts to decarbonise aviation. In particular they must reform aviation taxes to incentivise efficient behaviour, fund research and development in new technology and ensure that early movers such as easyJet are not penalised.”
Speaking about easyJet offsetting the carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights, Jonathon Porritt, Co-Founder of Forum for the Future, said: “This is an exciting development from easyJet, which is obviously taking the issue of climate change very seriously. But as is now widely understood, carbon offsetting can only be a bridge to future technological developments, and it will be important to seek out each and every way of reducing carbon emissions. Beyond that, the whole industry needs to come together more effectively to decarbonise this critical sector just as quickly as possible.”
Ends
For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, log onto www.easyjet.com or follow @easyJet_Press
Notes to Editors
· easyJet operates an increasingly more modern fleet, made up of more than 300 Airbus aircraft. The A320 and A321NEOS provide a step change in aircraft performance, bringing significant environmental and operational benefits including up to 15% saving in fuel use and CO2 emissions along with a reduced noise footprint. easyJet is operating 32 A320 neos and 6 A321NEOS. easyJet has had a continuous focus on fuel efficiency.
· easyJet recently carried out a materiality assessment on its most important sustainability issue. In the materiality assessment, all stakeholders believed climate change was a very important issue for easyJet, including carbon emissions, climate change adaptation, fuel types and efficiency.
About our commitment to carbon offsetting:
WHAT IS CARBON OFFSETTING? – Carbon offsetting provides revenues to projects that reduce CO2 emissions to the atmosphere or take CO2 from the atmosphere. This means compensating for every tonne of CO2 emitted by ensuring there is one tonne less in the atmosphere – by reducing CO2 by preventing its release or physically removing it from the air (e.g., by planting more trees).
DOES IT WORK? - Offsetting works because one tonne of CO2 has the same climate impact wherever it is emitted. So a tonne of CO2 released by an easyJet aircraft can genuinely be "offset" by contributing to such projects.
CARBON OFFSETTING IN PRACTICE – The vast majority (around 85%) of easyJet's carbon footprint is due to the use of aviation fuel to power flight. easyJet constantly measures exactly how much fuel is used for its flights, and thus how much CO2 is produced, which is 3.157 kilograms of CO2for every kilogram of aviation fuel used. Further, we use well known aviation standards and benchmarks to estimate the amount of other greenhouse gases we generate, and account for them on a CO2equivalent basis. We then offset this quantity of CO2by purchasing carbon credits which have a measured impact on carbon reduction.
About the selection process for easyJet carbon offset programmes
easyJet has undertaken a rigorous process in selecting its carbon offset programmes. We have specified only programmes which meet either the Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) accreditation which are globally recognised and respected for their standards of offsetting.
These accreditors check projects to ensure that the carbon reductions claimed by individual programmes would not have happened without that project, or that by reducing carbon emissions in one place they do not inadvertently increase them elsewhere.
Gold Standard and/or VCS accredited projects adhere to the following criteria:
Additionality: refers to emission reductions that would not have occurred in the absence of the payments derived from the sale of carbon credits. Mitigation interventions or activities are additional where it can be demonstrated that reductions in emissions would not have happened in the absence of the activity.
Permanence: refers to emission reductions being ‘permanent’ and representing a long-term mitigation benefit. Measures are in place to limit the risk of reversal of CO2 emission reductions to ensure their permanence, e.g. by forests being cut.
No Leakage: the mitigation activity does not to lead to the increase of emissions outside the boundaries of the activity.
Measurability: GHG emissions by sources and removals by sinks are quantifiable using recognised conservative methods against a credible baseline.
Independent auditing: mitigation activities and their emission reductions are validated and verified by independent third-party auditing bodies. Activities and emission reductions are assessed against the applied methodologies (e.g. under the VCS or the Gold Standard).
No double counting: to ensure the environmental integrity of mitigation activities, emission reductions or units cannot be claimed or accounted more than one time.
No negative impact on local populations: mitigation activities being implemented do not lead to negative impact or harm to local communities.
In addition, easyJet is specifying that its projects should include regular monitoring along with regular auditing and reporting. In many cases projects also contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including no poverty, good health and wellbeing, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, climate action, life on land.
We have partnered with Climate Focus, a pioneering international advisory company which has been supporting governments, organisations and companies on climate change policy and projects for 15 years. Climate Focus has acted as our advisor on selecting projects and partners, and has helped to develop our offset project portfolio. They are also advising us on our ongoing offset management process and how we will set up our own bespoke offsetting projects in the future. Climate Focus has its headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and additional offices in Rotterdam, Berlin, Washington DC and Bogotá.
About our carbon offset partners:
EcoAct
For over 15 years, EcoAct has been a leading carbon offset project developer and retailer, and provider of carbon, energy and sustainability consultancy services to large complex private companies, public sector organisations and governments. EcoAct has over 500 global clients, including 24 current FTSE100 clients and employs a team of more than 130 experts in France, UK, USA, Spain, Turkey and Kenya.
First Climate
First Climate was founded in 1999 to serve as a project developer for global carbon reduction projects. Over the years, First Climate evolved into a leading Carbon offset provider, a carbon asset management company and a provider of green energy consulting& procurement services. Today First Climate helps clients across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas to develop and procure carbon reduction projects. First Climate employs 44 experts in its offices in Germany, Austria, USA, India, Mexico and the UK.
Examples of offsetting projects include;
Forest conservation – South America and Africa
Forests in South America and Africa are of invaluable importance, both as a habitat for flora and fauna, and as a carbon sink and a regulative for global CO2 emissions. Poverty levels among communities in the region are high which has driven the exploitation of the forest for firewood and agricultural expansion. The consequences of this have been rapid deforestation and forest degradation. These projects help local users and government to manage the responsibility and benefits of the forest together to halt deforestation aiming to make standing trees valuable to local people by creating job opportunities and strengthening sustainable land-use practices which help protect the forest.
Renewable energy – Solar in India
Fossil fuels constitute the primary source of energy in India and coal accounts for 75% of the country‘s total energy consumption. The heavy reliance on fossil fuels results in the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen into the atmosphere. This project helps to diversify the Indian energy mix, lessen the reliance on coal, and reduce the carbon intensity of the grid. The project is part of a large solar installation in Tamil Nadu and operates more than 820,000 solar panels. The project has an installed capacity of 217 MW, eliminating the need to produce power using fossil fuels for the project area and avoiding around 350 kt of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.
Community based – Improved kitchen regimes (boreholes rehabilitation) in Uganda and Eritrea
In Uganda and Eritrea access to clean water is not always available outside of cities. This means people collect water from rivers and lakes, risking water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid – and boil water by burning firewood to make it safer to drink. This project rehabilitates broken boreholes to provide clean water to communities while providing a funding mechanism to ensure long term maintenance. As a result, families no longer have to boil water, saving firewood and preventing carbon emissions. A fully functioning borehole providing clean water leads to better health and fewer visits to health centers. The time saved in wood collection means women and children have more time for work and education
About our Carbon offset project management
All carbon projects in our portfolio are verified by the international carbon standards such as Gold Standard, and VCS. Verification under such standards starts by validating the design of a project (forest protection initiative, solar farm, clean cooking programme etc) against their stringent criteria of, amongst others, additionality, permanence and baseline setting. Validation is carried out by an independent auditor.
Once the project is up and running, the emission reductions realised (renewable electricity produced, trees grown, deforestation stopped) are monitored by auditors on behalf of the standards, typically every year. This includes for instance reading electricity meters, comparing aerial pictures of forest areas and counting cook stoves; and consequently calculating the tonnes of reduced emissions. These calculations are again checked by an independent auditor, after which the standard issues one carbon credit per tonne of CO2 emission reduced.
