SWISS and Lufthansa Group are Climeworks' first airline customers
The companies are early movers in aviation to boost the scale-up of direct air capture to help fight global warming and secure a more sustainable future for aviation.
On June 4, Climeworks organized a webinar to discuss the role of carbon removal in the aviation decarbonization journey with Melanie Heiniger from SWISS, Hemant Mistry from IATA (International Air Transport Association), and Cyril Brunner from ETH (Federal Institute of Technology Zurich) moderated by Laurent Müller, Climeworks Director Strategic Partnerships Management.
The panel addressed how to neutralize aviation emissions using various CDR methods and where airlines should invest now to reach their targets.
Key take-aways:
Cyril Brunner provided insights into aviation's impact on global warming and discussed solutions, including SAF, CDR, and hydrogen, to mitigate this impact.
Melanie Heiniger of Swiss International Airlines shared highlights of Swiss' decarbonization strategy, focusing on ambitious CO₂ reduction targets and promoting relevant technologies like DAC and SAF.
In March this year, SWISS and Lufthansa Group signed a long-term carbon removal agreement with Climeworks. As the aviation industry transitions towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to support the goals of the Paris Agreement, high-quality carbon removal, used in addition to deep and rapid in-sector emission reductions, will play a crucial role in compensating for unavoidable or historical emissions.
Melanie Heiniger elaborated on SWISS's sustainability agenda, emphasizing holistic footprint reduction, supporting emerging technologies, and social engagement.
The challenges and successes of SWISS's DAC procurement strategy were discussed, highlighting the importance of long-term commitments and innovative business models.
Hemant Mistry from IATA discussed the industry's net zero target for 2050, IATA's role in this journey, best practices for airlines, and the importance of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR).
IATA recommended best practices and technologies for scaling net-zero efforts, highlighting the critical role of CDR in this process.
The panel explored the future of CDR regulations in aviation and how these will be integrated into compliance frameworks to ensure effective CO₂ offsetting.
The discussion also covered how airlines can incentivize customers to contribute to decarbonization efforts, including transparency, education, and bundling of green fare packages.
The presentation deck is available here, and the recording of the webinar is below.
Learn more about Climeworks' high-quality carbon removal service:
Our customers
We work with corporations who want to get the world to net zero.
Remove to zero
Accelerate your net-zero journey with permanent carbon removal.