ON DECRYPT
This is a response to the global rejection movement of the plane departing Sweden: Tuesday, Easyjet boasted of becoming the first airline to achieve carbon neutrality. The British group specializing in low cost transport will initially subscribe to "carbon offsetting" schemes, which will enable it to carry green projects, especially in reforestation or renewable energies, for an investment of 29.2 million in 2020.
No "scam"?
This will enable it to offset the CO2 emissions of its flights, a practice often considered a right to pollute, while at the same time having a real neutral carbon impact. "This is not a scam, it has been scientifically proven that it works," Johan Lundgren, the group's general manager, told the press. A little earlier, on the BBC, he explained that it was not an ideal solution while defending all " greenwashing ", that is to say, to seek to "green" his image.
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In any case, these measures are temporary pending the flight of hybrid or electric aircraft: a memorandum of understanding was also announced with Airbus to launch a new generation of large-scale clean aircraft on the market. Obviously, developing a large fleet will take years, but the impact on the company's overall emissions will be much greater than it is today.
Eco-piloting and lighter aircraft
The airlines are currently multiplying initiatives to reduce their CO2 impact, in particular by optimizing their flight path (eco-driving) or by reducing the weight of the seats. They invest mostly in more modern aircraft. The new Airbus A350s used by Air France emit 25% less CO2, which does not erase, despite everything, the very large carbon footprint of the air transport mode.