Air New Zealand Scraps 2030 Carbon Target, Withdraws from SBTi

Air New Zealand has removed its 2030 target to reduce its carbon intensity by 28.9 percent compared with a 2019 baseline, and it has withdrawn from the Scient Based Targets initiative, the carrier announced Monday. The “levers” needed to meet the target that are “outside the airline’s direct control” include the availability of new aircraft, the affordability and availability of alternative jet fuels, and global and domestic regulatory and policy support, according to the carrier.”In recent months, and more so in the last few weeks, it has also become apparent that potential delays to our fleet renewal plan pose an additional risk to the target’s achievability,” Air New Zealand CEO Greg Foran said in a statement.The carrier is considering a new near-term carbon emissions reduction target “that could better reflect the challenges relating to aircraft and alternative jet fuel availability within the industry.”Air New Zealand, however, remains committed to reaching its 2050 net zero carbon emissions target, according to the carrier.