Alaska Airlines has signed onto Amazon's Climate Pledge, in which the carrier promises to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
The carrier said it will reach that goal through a combination of five initiatives, including operational efficiency, fleet renewal, sustainable fuel, "high-quality" carbo- offsetting technology and new aircraft technology, such as electric-power aircraft, that cut or reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Recent fleet renewal, such as its increased use of Boeing 737 Max aircraft, for example, are improving fuel efficiency by 22 percent on a seat-per-seat basis, according to Alaska.
The Amazon pledge is more aggressive than the pledge under the Paris agreement, in which the industry pledges to cut emissions by half of current levels by 2050.
In the shorter term, Alaska has pledged to cut waste over the next five years with more sustainable packaging, recycling and offsetting all operational water use. The carrier also will cut emissions from ground services equipment in half by 2025 with more electric-powered equipment and purchase of other renewables.
The pledges are part of a new sustainability and social responsibility report the carrier released on Wednesday. They also include a commitment to increase diversity, including increasing racial diversity levels across its workforce by at least 30 percent and in particular hiring more Black female pilots by 2025.