Page 72 - World Airnews August 2020 Edition

COLUMN

COVID-19 CRISIS CAN

HELP AVIATION IN

SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY

The question raised by the Covid-19 crisis is -
can aviation recover from this with an environ-
mentally-friendly solution and be intact? In this
interview* Marina Bylinsky, Head of Sustainabil-
ity, ACI EUROPE unpacks what is being done
and what needs to be done.

their climate ambition with the latest
scientific evidence. Of course, for the For instance, Schiphol Airport launched a
f we take a forward looking approach aviation sector as a whole, the scale of trial of Taxibot, an electric tow vehicle that

Iand critically assess the way we man- the challenge is different, as we have allows aircraft not to burn fuel while taxiing
aged the present crisis, we need to look many more solutions to decarbonise on – reducing not only CO2, but also local air
at what we can learn from it for future the ground than in the air. Our role as pollutant emissions.
scenarios. Climate change is going to be a airports is manifold: we have to first of IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT IS THE
source of new crises and hence remains all reach our own climate goals, but also MOST IMPORTANT MEASURE IN
the greatest long-term challenge we face. to support the broader decarbonisation ADDRESSING EMISSIONS FROM
of the air transport system. This refers to
The good news is that the COVID-19 crisis facilitating more efficient ground opera- AVIATION OPERATIONS?
has delivered very concrete insights that can tions, optimised air traffic management There is currently no silver-bullet solution
help us in our sustainable recovery. Firstly, but also the provision of infrastructure to the CO2 emissions from air transport,
it has shown that we need to trust and and associated services for the use of so combinations of different measures
follow the science. Goals and strategies can Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), and in need to be implemented. We usually
no longer be determined by “what we can the longer run, hydrogen fuelled and refer to these as the ICAO “Basket of
achieve” but “what we have to achieve”. electrified aircraft operations. Measures”, consisting of technology

For the aviation sector, it means that we As new aircraft technologies emerge on improvements, more efficient opera-

need to step up our industry-wide climate the market, the role of airport operators tions, SAF and market-based measures,
goals, and align them with the latest will be critical to enable their deployment. such as the EU Emissions Trading System

climate science, namely the need to reach For instance, if an airline is purchasing an (ETS) or the ICAO Carbon Offsetting
Net Zero CO2 emissions by 2050. electric airplane, it will only be able to fly and Reduction Scheme for International

Secondly, COVID-19 has shown how it once it can be charged at the airport and Aviation (CORSIA).

important early action is to address a benefit from associated maintenance and

looming crisis, and that delays do have a handling services. The “deeper” we get into AND WHAT WOULD BE THE GAME
significant human and economic cost. The the decarbonisation of air transport; the CHANGER FOR AIRPORTS IN THIS

same is true for climate change. Delaying more important the role of airports will be REGARD?
or reducing the rate at which emission re- as nodes of climate action, accelerating and Emissions under the airport operator

ductions are made today will require more removing roadblocks for new technologies control typically refer to heating and

significant cuts in emissions in the future, and operations, in cooperation with indus- cooling of buildings, ground vehicles and

with higher costs. try partners. support equipment, on-site processes
For the aviation sector, this implies that Speaking about a sustainable recovery such as waste processing and most

we have to maintain climate action high from an airport perspective, we should also importantly, electricity. The latter on

on our agenda. Of course, in the current not forget about its more local compo- average accounts for roughly 60% of the
context, we will not be able to deliver on nents, for instance mitigation of noise and airport operators’ emissions. From that

it on our own. This is why public support air pollution or resources management. perspective, access to clean electricity

to the decarbonisation of aviation is more In these areas as well, we can use the is absolutely key for airport decarboni-

important today than ever. Such support recovery from COVID-19 as an opportunity sation, and is all the more important
will help our sector regain its economic to explore new, innovative approaches. as it can be used to replace the use of

viability - which is a prerequisite fossil fuel in vehicles or buildings.
for safeguarding our ability to keep To access clean electricity, airports

investing in decarbonisation on our can either procure it, or generate
own accounts, and ultimately con- it on-site. On-site generation is

tinue providing social and economic particularly relevant, as it is 100%
benefits to society. additional, i.e. creating new green

electricity generation capacity
THE ROLE OF AIRPORTS? and thus substituting conventional
Through ACI EUROPE’s Net Zero electricity. Q
2050 commitment from June 2019, • Interview shortened
European airports already aligned
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