MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

LATAM Airlines goes environment conscious for the years to come

“The environment cannot wait 15 years to have the necessary technologies to reduce emissions,” Alvo said.

LATAM Airlines Group has launched Wednesday in Santiago, Chile, an environmentally conscious plan for the coming years named LATAM Group Sustainability Strategy, to offset 50% of emissions from its domestic operations by 2030.

Other goals within the project are carbon neutrality by 2050, zero waste to landfill by 2027 and protecting iconic ecosystems in South America.

“We are facing a critical moment in the history of humanity, with a serious climate crisis and a pandemic that has changed our society. Today, it is not enough to do the usual. As a group, we have the responsibility to go further in the search for collective solutions. We want to be an actor that promotes the social, environmental and economic development of the region; therefore, we are assuming a commitment that seeks to contribute to the conservation of ecosystems and the well-being of the people of South America, making it a better place for all of them,” said LATAM CEO Roberto Alvo.

He also underlined that the group will work to reduce its emissions through the incorporation of sustainable fuels and new aviation technologies expected to become available beginning 2035. “The environment cannot wait 15 years to have the necessary technologies to reduce emissions. This is why we will work in parallel to promote these transformations and offset our emissions through nature-based solutions,” Alvo explained.

One of the most important announcements was the first stage of a collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), to plan conservation and reforestation actions in iconic ecosystems in the region. TNC is a global environmental organization that works based on science, creating solutions for the most urgent challenges of our planet, so that nature and people may prosper together.

“With more than 35 years of experience in Latin America, our scientific studies have shown that forest restoration and regeneration can efficiently contribute to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) goals. TNC believes that multisectoral collaboration accelerates the implementation of nature-based solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect biodiversity, and develop a more prosperous future for people in the region,” said Ian Thompson, Executive Director of TNC Brazil.

As part of the strategy to reach 2027 as a group that generates zero waste to landfill, single-use plastics will be eliminated before 2023 and the onboard recycling program will be expanded on all domestic routes of the LATAM Group, and all LATAM lounges will be made 100% sustainable.

LATAM also plans to expand its capacity to transport cargo and people for health programs, natural disasters and environmental care, something that has been in practice during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic by carrying vaccines, health care professionals and human organs for transplants at no charge.

LATAM Group has also announced it will seek the IEnvA environmental certification by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The company, born in 2012 from the merger between the Chilean Lan and the Brazilian Tam, has most of its international flights to and from Chile grounded since the beginning of April when a border closure was decreed until June to contain the pandemic. Due to the covid-19 travel restrictions, LATAM ended 2020 with a drop in its income of 58.4% and a net loss of US $ 4,545.9 million.