U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced, during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, that the United States had created a plan to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. aviation sector by 2050.
Called the U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan, the program builds on the Biden Administration’s efforts to launch a sustainable aviation fuels challenge, electrify airport equipment and develop more efficient aircraft.
“The Climate Action Plan we are announcing today is ambitious yet achievable and will help create a sustainable aviation future. This plan shows we can combat climate change while growing the economy and creating good-paying American jobs,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
The plan includes several key initiatives, including increasing the production of sustainable aviation fuels, developing new aircraft technologies, increasing operations efficiencies, cutting airport emissions, and boosting airport resilience.
“The U.S. has led in aviation for decades, and we must continue that leadership by building a sustainable aviation system. Our freedom to fly requires us to take action,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said.
Airlines for America (A4A) applauded the announcement.
“A4A and our member carriers are committed to working in a positive partnership across the aviation industry and with government leaders to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 through the advancement and deployment of cutting-edge technologies, operational improvements, modernized infrastructure, and our goal of making 3 billion gallons of cost-competitive SAF available to U.S. aircraft operators in 2030,” A4A said in a statement.