WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Chief executives of major U.S. airlines are expected to meet virtually two top White House advisers on Friday about efforts to reduce carbon emissions and use renewable fuels, five people briefed on the issue. , they told Reuters.
American Airlines CEOs, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines are among those invited to meet with White House national climate advisor Gina McCarthy and economic advisor Brian Deese to discuss environmental issues related to air travel, including the use of greener fuels to boost air travel.
The White House and a spokeswoman for a group representing the airlines declined to comment.
McCarthy told Reuters earlier this month that he started discussions with the auto and service sectors about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She said the talks are part of a broad effort by the Biden government to involve all federal agencies in decarbonizing 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 huge increase in subsidies for low-carbon jet fuel. They say that new incentives are needed to help combat climate change.
Air travel contributes about 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, said the Air Transport Action Group. That percentage is expected to increase rapidly in the coming decades if airlines do not move quickly to “sustainable aviation fuel”.
This fuel is made from residues of biological origin, such as old cooking oil, animal fat and vegetable oils. It is much more expensive than traditional jet fuel.
Speaking at an Axios event about the future of green travel, United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said that the R&D investments needed to make the entire economy have zero net emissions will require government support.
United has committed to a multimillion dollar investment in carbon capture, a technology designed to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, as part of a plan to be 100% green by 2050.
The industry trade group Airlines for America told Reuters earlier that it has also been in contact with climate change officials from the Biden government to discuss the expansion of the sustainable aviation fuel market.
Currently, A4A members use only about 1.5 million gallons of green aircraft fuel in the United States each year, out of a total commercial aviation fuel market that exceeds 620 million barrels annually. (A barrel of jet fuel contains 42 gallons.)
Several other countries have already proposed sustainable aviation fuel mandates or are exploring them as a means of addressing the increased carbon footprint of air travel. A mandate in Norway came into force in January 2020, while the Netherlands is expected to have it in place by 2023.
European requirements are expected to be addressed at the White House meeting.
Globally, more than 250,000 flights have operated on sustainable aviation fuel since 2016, while about 10.6 million gallons were produced in 2020, said the International Air Transport Association.
Chicago-based Boeing Co has committed to flying 100% sustainable aviation fuels by 2030, it said in January.
Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington, Jarett Renshaw in Philadelphia and Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien and Matthew Lewis