SIA Group vows to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050

Singapore’s flagship carrier plans to invest in a 'younger' fleet as part of its ambitious plans.

Singapore Airlines Group has vowed to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, reinforcing its long-standing commitment of working towards decarbonisation and environmental sustainability across its operations.

The Group airlines, Singapore Airlines, Scoot and SIA Cargo, will use multiple levers to achieve this goal including investing in new-generation aircraft, achieving higher operational efficiency, adopting low-carbon technology such as sustainable aviation fuels, and sourcing for high quality carbon offsets.

“Today, the most effective and direct way for an airline to materially lower carbon emissions is by operating a young fleet of aircraft. The SIA Group fleet has an average age of under six years, making it one of the youngest in the world. Over the last year, we have retired 45 older aircraft. We will be gradually replacing them with new-generation aircraft that are up to 30 per cent more fuel efficient, and will substantially lower our emissions in coming years,” said Goh Choon Phong, chief executive officer of Singapore Airlines.

SIA Group has pursued multiple projects in support of its sustainability goals even amidst the Covid-19 pandemic like the completion of the installation of solar panels on all of its office buildings in Singapore. This generates renewable energy that provides up to 18%t of its electricity demand, or enough to power around 2,300 four-room apartments in Singapore for a year.

In 2020, SIA rolled out a new regional Economy Class meal concept that offers increased food choices for customers. It features tableware comprising sustainable paper packaging and bamboo cutlery, reducing the amount of single-use plastics in the cabin. This packaging weighs 50% less, helping to lower fuel consumption. Everything from the tableware to the food waste will be sent to an eco-digestor to be converted to refuse-derived energy pellets that can replace fossil fuels and coal.