WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The chief executives of major U.S. airlines will meet virtually Friday with two key White House advisers on efforts to reduce carbon emissions and use renewable fuels, five people briefed on the matter said. to Reuters.
The CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines are among those invited to meet with Gina McCarthy, White House national climate advisor and economic adviser Brian Deese to discuss environmental issues related to air travel, including the use of greener fuels. to power air travel.
The White House and a spokeswoman for a group representing the airlines declined to comment.
McCarthy told Reuters earlier this month that she had begun talks with the utility and automotive sectors about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She said the talks were part of a broad effort by the Biden administration to involve every federal agency in decarbonising the U.S. energy sector by 2035 and the entire economy by 2050.
Last week, Reuters reported that US airlines and renewable energy companies are lobbying the Biden government to support a large increase in subsidies for low-carbon jet fuel. They say new incentives are needed to help combat climate change.
Air travel contributes about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Air Transport Action Group. That percentage is expected to increase rapidly in the coming decades if airlines do not quickly switch to ‘sustainable jet fuel’.
Such fuel is made from biologically produced waste such as old cooking oil, animal fat and vegetable oils. It is much more expensive than traditional jet fuel.
Speaking at an Axios event on the future of green travel, United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said the R&D investment needed to bring the entire economy to zero emissions needs government support.
United has committed to a multi-million dollar investment in carbon capture, a technology designed to suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as part of a plan to be 100% green by 2050.
Industrial trade group Airlines for America previously told Reuters it has also been in contact with the Biden government’s climate change officials to discuss expanding the renewable jet fuel market.
Currently, A4A members only use about 1.5 million liters of green jet fuel in the United States per year, in a total commercial jet fuel market that exceeds 620 million barrels annually. (One barrel of jet fuel contains 42 liters.)
Several other countries have already proposed or are exploring sustainable jet fuel mandates as a way to address increasing carbon emissions from air travel. A mandate in Norway came into effect in January 2020, while the Netherlands should have one by 2023.
European requirements are expected to be addressed at the White House meeting.
Globally, more than 250,000 flights have been operated on renewable jet fuel since 2016, while an estimated 10.6 million liters were produced in 2020, according to the International Air Transport Association.
Chicago-based Boeing Co has pledged to fly with 100% renewable jet fuels by 2030, it said in January.
Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Jarett Renshaw in Philadelphia, and Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; Edited by Rosalba O’Brien and Matthew Lewis