American Airlines Announces New Science-Based Emission Targets

American Airlines announced a new set of science-based targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) as part of the carrier’s strategy for reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

With the announcement, American is the first airline in North America to begin the validation process with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a collaboration between the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World-Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

As part of the partnership, the carrier is committed to developing a 2035 emissions reduction target that will be reviewed by the SBTi to confirm its consistency with the latest climate science.

“We are building American Airlines to thrive forever, which is why we set an ambitious goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050,” American CEO Doug Parker said. “Now, we’re committing to set a science-based target for 2035 because the seriousness of the climate challenge demands it.”

“Looking forward, we believe we have an obligation to our customers, team members, shareholders and the communities we serve to focus and accelerate our transition to operating a low-carbon airline,” Parker continued.

By committing to set a science-based target, American joins Race To Zero, a global campaign backed by the United Nations that aims for a zero-carbon economy from businesses, cities, investors and other non-state actors.

The airline’s plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 is based on a reduction strategy that includes fleet renewal, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and operational improvements.