Sustainability In The Air
Travel makes the world a smaller and better place. Aviation has bounced back. However, as we experience climate change, we worry about our environmental impact. Sustainability in The Air, the world’s first podcast dedicated to sustainable aviation. Every week, Shashank Nigam, the CEO of SimpliFlying, talks to Airline, airport, travel and technology executives to help make sense of the Wild-West scenario. Our mission is to show the many paths to net zero, for an industry that is one of the hardest to decarbonize. Whether you're a frequent flier, an airline Executive or just love traveling, if you care about sustainable global travel then welcome aboard. Our mission is to get you the latest insight from a top airline or technology C-level executive willing to share their organization's journey to building a sustainable future.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content about sustainable aviation visit our website simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.
Sustainability In The Air
How InfluenceMap’s data-driven approach tracks aviation climate advocacy
In this episode, we speak with Lucca Ewbank, Program Manager, Transport at InfluenceMap, who shares how the non-profit think tank uses data-driven analysis to assess corporate engagement with climate policies, and holds the corporate and financial sectors accountable for their role in climate change.
Ewbank discusses:
- The significant disparity between what airlines say publicly versus what they advocate for in private meetings with policymakers, uncovered through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that reveal how industry associations often oppose stronger climate regulations.
- The clear split within the aviation sector between “positive leaders” (typically low-cost carriers) who support more ambitious climate policies, and “laggards” (legacy carriers) who often oppose extensions of emissions trading schemes.
- Concerns about sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) policies, particularly how some industry players advocate for feedstock calculations that might underestimate emissions.
- The aviation industry’s consistent opposition to demand management measures, with examples of airlines taking legal action against flight caps at airports.
- The role investors can play in encouraging positive climate policy engagement by holding companies accountable for their lobbying activities and pushing for transparency between public commitments and private advocacy.
Ewbank emphasises that while there are encouraging signs from some industry leaders, aviation emissions continue to grow rapidly even as other sectors reduce their climate impact, with EU aviation emissions rising 9.5% in 2023 while overall EU emissions fell by 8%.
If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Matt Finch, UK Policy Manager at Transport & Environment, who discusses the need for more ambitious policies and actions to address aviation’s environmental impact. Check it out here.
Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry’s challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air’. Click here to learn more.
Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.
Links & More:
US Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) policies and corporate engagement - InfluenceMap
EY, Capgemini & InfluenceMap: How to close the 'Say-Do Gap' - Sustainability Magazine
