Aviation is a crucial industry: it is estimated that aviation supported 63 million jobs in 2015 and underpinned $2.7 trillion of GDP . And demand for air travel is only increasing: the aviation industry transported 3.57 billion passengers in 2015 and that is projected to grow an average of 10% year-on-year for the next 10 years .
Given its size, aviation is a sizeable contributor to climate change. If the aviation industry were a country, it would rank 19th in the world in terms of GDP, generating $664 billion of GDP per year, about the same as Switzerland . However the aviation industry’s CO2 emissions of 781 million tons rank it as the 6th largest producer, on par with Germany–only the international shipping industry produces more CO2 . In fact, aviation accounts for 2% of all human-produced carbon dioxide emissions and this share is projected to grow to a quarter of all emissions by 2050 as demand for flights continue to grow .
Nonetheless, as the vast majority of aviation operations occur in earth’s atmosphere, aviation is one of the industries most impacted by climate change. Changing wind patterns require longer flight routes and therefore more fuel expenditure  and more extreme temperatures lead to different weight restrictions and ground delays, reducing fleet efficiency .
As world’s most comprehensive airline, United Airlines needs a comprehensive plan to tackle their environmental impact. They are working across 3 areas:
- Fuel Efficiency: Since 1994, United has improved their fleet fuel efficiency by more than 34%. United was the first airline to fly with the new fuel efficiency Split Scimitar winglets that deliver up to a 3-5% percent reduction in carbon emissions and noise over standard winglets and now has more than 370 aircraft with these winglets .
- Sustainable Travel Products and Processes: United implemented waste reduction and ground fuel efficiency practices. For example, United has recycled 27.8 million pounds of aluminum cans, paper and plastic from their flights since 2010. They have also renovated their terminal facilities to be LEED certified and distribute more environmentally friendly amenities across all cabin classes .
- Alternate Fuels: United is also exploring more efficient fuels, introducing biofuels to their operations during 2016. They are delivering their trash to be converted into biofuels that are expected to provide greater than a 60% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on a life cycle basis when compared to traditional jet fuel .
Beyond the steps United has already taken, there are a few additional areas where they can improve their environmental impact:
Ground Operations: the majority of United’s focus has been on their flight operations, however improving the efficiency of their ground operations would also have an environmental impact. Moving to using electric ground support vehicles would help reduce CO2 emissions .
Infrastructure Improvements: Aviation is a highly regulated industry that uses largely antiquated technology to manage flight safety. As an industry leader, United can help influence regulators to modernize air traffic management systems enabling more efficient flight operations. New air traffic management systems could save 9 million tons of fuel annually and reduce CO2 emissions by 28 million tons a year .
Navigational Technology Adoption: New RNP technology allows aircraft to fly precisely-defined paths without relying on ground-based radio-navigation signals. The paths can be deployed at any airport, allowing aircraft to fly predictable,repeatable paths with an accuracy of less than a wingspan. RNP paths can be designed to shorten the distance an aircraft has to fly enroute, reducing fuel burn and CO2 emissions . While this would require United to re-train pilots, the savings and environmental impact would be significant.
With rising standards of living worldwide and a globalized economy, air travel is becoming more frequent and more important. Modernizing antiquated systems and innovating new aircraft and fuel technology will enable all of us to continue flying the (eco) friendly skies.