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Executives from KLM, American Express, and citizenM joined forces at the Fast Company Innovation Festival to discuss sustainability ideas for business travel.
Business travel spending is roaring back post-pandemic and with it travel-related pollution, even as global leaders in business and politics seek out new ways to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.
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Executives charged with sustainability initiatives at American Express Global Business Travel, citizenM Hotels, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines came together on a panel at the 2024 Fast Company Innovation Festival to discuss possible solutions for decarbonizing a stubborn sector.
"Flying is not sustainable, but you can make it more sustainable," said Zita Schellekens, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines senior vice president for sustainability and strategy. "We're working very hard to accelerate that movement, to accelerate the technological advancement, and also to persuade people to make choices in such a way that they do make it more sustainable."
Possible solutions discussed ranged from the short-term and practical to the more theoretical. Shorter-term fixes include eliminating single-use plastics for hotel guests at citizenM, flying lighter airplanes at KLM, and placing the option to travel via less carbon-intensive means, like rail, alongside air travel when booking with American Express. Longer term possibilities include innovations such as hydrogen-powered aviation.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was a popular topic of discussion--and one available now for the aviation sector, which is difficult to decarbonize. SAF is an umbrella term that refers to lower net emission fuels that can easily replace kerosene. But the substances aren't yet widely used due to cost and availability.