Finnair has signed a letter of intent for a commitment to cooperate with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to bring its CO2 emissions reduction targets in line with the UN Paris Climate Agreement (which aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels to combat the effects of climate change).

The Finnish national carrier aims to meet the target within the next two years and Eveliina Huurre, Finnair SVP of Sustainability, said: “The climate challenges of flying need to be solved, so that the social and economic benefits of aviation can continue. Finnair has ambitious emissions reduction targets: by the end of 2025, we intend to halve the level of net emissions from 2019 and achieve carbon neutrality latest by the end of 2045.”

The airline plans to use an extensive toolkit to achieve emission reductions. The key tools reducing emissions include reducing the weight of aircraft, developing fuel-efficient flight methods, using sustainable fuels (SAF) and offsets, and engaging customers in reducing aviation emissions. It is also actively exploring the possibilities of introducing new technologies into its operations.

The SBTi is a collaboration between CDP, the UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments. It is a global body enabling businesses to set ambitious emissions reductions targets in line with the latest climate science. It is focused on accelerating companies and financial institutions across the world to halve emissions before 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions before 2050.