June 9, 2020
Rolls-Royce recently pledged by 2030 to become a net-zero carbon emitter in its operations, and to assist the civil aviation industry and other sectors in attaining net zero carbon emissions by 2050, as part of the United Nations’ “Race to Zero” campaign.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought immediate and obvious pressures to our industry and to us as a company, but the long-term challenges our world faces have not gone away,” Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East said in a statement. “The world on the other side of this pandemic will need the power that we generate to fuel economic recovery. I absolutely believe the call for that power to be more sustainable and net zero will be stronger than ever.”
The company’s efforts in the business aviation sector include working with the fuels industry to
significantly ramp up the availability of lower carbon alternative fuels, including sustainable aviation fuel derived in part from renewable resources. The engine manufacturer also is exploring alternative aircraft propulsion options, including electrification.
The pledge helps align Rolls-Royce with goals established in the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5° Celsius. “We will use our capabilities to play a leading role in enabling the vital sectors in which we operate achieve net zero emissions by 2050,” East continued. “I believe this ambition will drive our competitiveness for the future.”
Rolls-Royce engines currently power a wide range of business aircraft including Embraer’s Legacy 600/650, Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation X, Bombardier’s Global 5500 and 6500 and Gulfstream’s G650 and upcoming G700.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.