NBAA Underscores Commitment to Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 in House Committee Statement
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National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen outlined the aggressive steps business aviation is taking to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint in a written statement submitted to the Aviation Subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure.
In NBAA’s statement for the hearing, “Preparing for Take-Off: Examining Efforts to Address Climate Change at U.S. Airports,” Bolen detailed the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change, where the industry has pledged to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.
“This goal builds on our proven track record of leading the way on fuel-saving technologies from winglets to highly efficient engine technology and advanced avionics,” Bolen wrote. “To achieve our 2050 goal, business aviation is making significant investments in zero-emission electric aviation, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), optimizing GPS technology to fly the most direct and efficient routes and utilizing sustainable infrastructure at airports. These initiatives will lead to a sustainable future for business aviation while maintaining the critical jobs our industry provides to American workers.”
In addition, he explained how NBAA’s Sustainable Flight Department Accreditation Program, which has a specific focus on infrastructure and ground support equipment, is leading the way toward more efficient and sustainable U.S. airports.
“This comprehensive accreditation program will stimulate, document and audit how operators are making widespread investments and progress toward a carbon-neutral future,” Bolen added. “For airport operations, participants will work toward measurable reductions in CO2 emissions through the modernization of hangars and other facilities, concentrating on reduced electric and water consumption.”
Read Bolen’s full written statement.
He also discussed how NBAA and its coalition partners in the Business Aviation Coalition for Sustainable Aviation Fuel continue to educate the airport and operator community about the benefits of SAF, which has led to broad acceptance and demand for the fuel. However, the SAF market is still in a nascent stage and requires a long-term, technology- and feedstock-neutral tax incentive to meet growing demand. Bolen thanked the subcommittee for its leadership in supporting H.R. 3440, the Sustainable Skies Act, and underscored that a blender’s tax credit specifically aimed at incentivizing the production of SAF is the most important action that Congress can take to support decarbonization of the aviation sector
He also detailed how electric aviation and advanced air mobility (AAM) will advance the U.S. toward sustainable, zero-emission aerospace, and open new transportation opportunities to move people between and within urban, suburban and rural areas.
Bolen explained that general aviation airports will be an essential part of electric aviation’s future. “These airports will support AAM operations as they are often located closer to communities and provide the existing infrastructure that can readily support electric aviation.”
Last fall at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the leaders of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and NBAA agreed to continue the industry’s goal of increasing aviation fuel efficiency 2% per year between 2020 and 2030. Read more about the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change.