Climate change is no longer a theory but a real threat and an urgent challenge that we must all face. That is why global airlines and airports, as well as air navigation service providers and manufacturers related to the aviation industry, have set themselves a bold goal. By 2050, they want to halve their carbon dioxide emissions in comparison with the levels achieved in 2005. This is how the Fly Aware initiative was born.

– We have a long way ahead of us – the participants of the program write. – We’ve been meeting our carbon emissions targets for over a decade, and travel today is half the emissions it did 30 years ago. However, we need to achieve much more.

Fly Aware is an initiative funded by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global trade organization headquartered in Montreal and Geneva, with approximately 290 airlines representing 82 percent of total air traffic. – We often talk to industry and governments about our innovative efforts to reduce emissions, but we know our acronyms and technical vocabulary can make it difficult to understand the specific actions we are taking – representatives of IATA write. – That’s why we have created Fly Aware, a dedicated platform that explains what we have done, what we are still planning and what you can do.

What does aviation industry do?

Efforts to reduce emissions are comprehensive – from revolutionary materials used in modern aircraft, to innovative design solutions. Thanks to constant innovations, even the largest aircraft are today lighter than ever. More efficient engines or winglets on wingtips also improve aerodynamics, which translates into a lower carbon footprint. Advances in air traffic control and optimized routes help to shorten flights and reduce fuel consumption. More and more airports are also generating energy from carbon-neutral sources and introducing environmentally friendly electric ground vehicles.

What can you do?

However, Fly Aware stakeholders point out that passengers can also make a noticeable contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of the aviation industry. How? An important factor in this case is, for example, weight. We need to change our packing mentality and stop seeing the weight limit as primary target. Surprisingly, reducing the weight of luggage by just one kilogram could already have a positive impact on the environment – if, of course, all passengers do this.
The increasingly fashionable offsetting is equally important. Companies whose employees fly frequently choose to offset their carbon emissions by funding green projects, especially those aimed at reducing their carbon footprint. In this way, one could say we can buy the amount of clean air that we used. Carbon offset programmes are often sold with airline tickets, allowing you to pay a fee for environmental schemes.
Reducing your flight’s carbon footprint starts from the moment you buy your ticket and continues when you plan your trip to the airport. Choosing public transport or taking a reusable bottle with you are just some of the ways to further reduce the negative impact of tourism on the environment.

The Fly Aware initiative is a great undertaking with extremely important goals. We can achieve them together because together we can do more!