Airbus is at risk of missing its target to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050, according to CEO Guillaume Faury at the third annual Airbus Summit in Toulouse, France.
The company has delayed its hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft programme and scaled back the ZeroE initiative, which aimed to develop four hydrogen aircraft since 2020.
Labor unions indicate the first flight of Airbus’ hydrogen-powered commercial model may be delayed by five to ten years, with concerns about regulatory frameworks and clean hydrogen production.
Airbus’ chief sustainability officer, Julie Kitcher, reiterated the importance of sustainability goals, arguing that climate change poses both financial and business risks.
Airbus has launched a three-year partnership with the Solar Impulse Foundation to lend aerospace technology for addressing climate challenges, with plans for a hydrogen-powered twin-fuselage aircraft to complete a non-stop world flight by 2028.
Guillaume Faury shared “I don’t think we are wrong to pursue net zero by 2050. Maybe it’s going to take a bit more time, but let’s not be shy in the ambition.”
Julie Kitcher, Airbus’ chief sustainability officer, told 300 attendees at the event: “Climate change is both a financial and a business risk, and so we are committed to the net-zero goal,” Kitcher said. “Our partners and also policymakers have made wide-ranging commitments, and with innovation, technology is on track to achieve progress towards these goals.”
