By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
LATAM Announces Zero Waste, Carbon Neutral Program
Being carbon neutral by 2050, zero waste to landfill by 2027 and protecting iconic ecosystems in South America are some of the commitments that are part of LATAM Group’s new Sustainability Strategy. By 2023, the group will eliminate single-use plastics, recycle all waste on domestic flights, make its LATAM lounges 100% sustainable and expand its recycling program for uniforms and other materials. The goal is to be a zero waste to landfill company by 2027.
In a press release, the South American carrier stated that LATAM Airlines Group and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will collaborate to identify conservation projects, protecting iconic ecosystems such as the Amazon, the Chaco, the Orinoco Plains, the Atlantic forest and El Cerrado, among others.
TNC is a science-based global environmental organization that was founded to create solutions to the planet’s most pressing challenges.
Through these actions and other initiatives, LATAM Group intends to offset 50% of emissions from its domestic operations by 2030.
The sustainability strategy for the next 30 years includes four work pillars: environmental management, climate change, circular economy and shared value. The lines of action were designed collaboratively with experts and environmental organizations throughout the region.
Regarding the climate change pillar, the group announced that it will work to reduce its emissions through the incorporation of sustainable fuels and new aviation technologies that, it is estimated, will be available from 2035.
Through the development of a portfolio of conservation projects, among other initiatives, the LATAM Group will seek to offset 50% of domestic emissions by 2030, establishing a path to be entirely carbon neutral by 2050. According to the Chilean carrier, single-use plastics will be eliminated before 2023 and the onboard recycling program will be…