·
Reaffirms commitment to preserving the
planet’s natural ecosystem
·
Gives away 1,000 eco-friendly masks to
children from vulnerable communities in India to encourage inclusive
sustainability.
Emirates, acutely aware of its role
in the planet’s natural ecosystem, has continued to make progress in the
attainment of its environmental goals. The airline showcased this environment
performance in its annual financial report for 2019-20, painting a holistic
picture and filling in the context of its achievements.
An important cause close to
Emirates’ heart is keeping wildlife in the wild. The airline is committed to
tackling the illegal trade in the sale of wild animals either as pets, or for
their hides, tusks or other body parts for use in food, medicine, exotic
leathers, jewellery and ornaments – all worth around US$ 20 billion every year.
Emirates is active across
industry and international efforts, and is part of United for Wildlife, ROUTES
(Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species), and the
World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
Emirates has a zero tolerance on
carrying banned species, hunting trophies or any products associated with
illegal wildlife activities. The airline’s ground-handling team is trained in
IATA’s Live Animal Regulations and its internal policies, and more than 2,500
airport services employees were trained last year to recognise and report
suspicious cargo. Employees have access to a dedicated reporting channel to
stop illegal trade. Customer awareness was heightened through interviews,
wildlife programmes and films on ice, its inflight entertainment system, and
the inflight magazine.
Emirates’ efforts in the areas of
wildlife conservation are well known. The airline has been helping protect
Australia’s extraordinary flora and fauna for over 10 years at Emirates Wolgan
Valley, the conservation-based resort in New South Wales. The resort worked
closely with the local community to evacuate on-site animals as bushfires swept
across the country last year. Involving guests who were keen to volunteer, the
resort created a one million-plus seed bank, representing 25 local native
species that will play a vital role in repopulating damaged areas. Native
wildlife like kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, reptiles and birdlife have already
returned to the area.
Emirates’ 20-year partnership
with the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR) continued to build on its
successful programmes to track, maintain and reintroduce native wildlife
species, such as the Arabian oryx, Arabian gazelle, sand gazelle. In January,
the reserve released 250 MacQueen’s bustards into its natural habitat – a
remarkable achievement by any standard. The DDCR continues to be a regional
leader in ecological research, actively collaborating with local and
international universities. The reserve was accepted as a candidate for the
IUCN Green List for Protected and Conserved Areas, a global standard for the
world’s most effectively managed of protected areas, in 2018.
Reducing carbon emissions is
central to Emirates’ environmental sustainability strategy, which is
underpinned by its young, technologically advanced fleet with an average age of
just 6.8 years. The airline’s comprehensive fuel efficiency programme, which
analyses and implements ways to reduce unnecessary fuel burn and emissions
wherever operationally feasible, delivered a 1.9% improvement in passenger fuel
efficiency for the full year. The airline’s efforts to optimise flight plans
and fuel uplift, while ensuring safety and operational integrity, alone saved
an estimated 38,000 tonnes of fuel or around 120,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
This was supported by data-driven methodologies and awareness programmes for
pilots.
Emirates is committed to
environmental stewardship, and uses the power of collaboration, consensus and
change right along its ecosystem – from framing internal
policies to empowering employees and mandating standards with partners and
vendors. Last year, the Emirates Group’s leadership team approved an updated Environmental
Framework, and throughout the year, the airline took positive action, both big
and small, to make impressive progress.
Encouraging inclusive Sustainability in India
In India, Emirates is pitching in
for an inclusive and greener tomorrow. The airline will be giving away 1,000
customised, reusable masks made from recycled material to children from some of
the most vulnerable communities, protecting their health and wellbeing during
these challenging times. Last year, the airline recycled its billboards into
200 backpacks for underprivileged children in South Africa.
For more information on Emirates’
environmental performance, click here.
About Emirates
Emirates' 34 years in India have
been defined by progressive investment, partnership and growth. In October
1985, Emirates launched flights from Dubai to Delhi and Mumbai which formed the
base of its initial route network. Since then, Emirates has grown its India
operations to serve a total of nine destinations across India – Ahmedabad,
Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Thiruvananthapuram
– with 170 weekly flights. Globally, the airline flies to 157 destinations in
83 countries and territories.
For more information on Emirates’
current operations, network, travel support, guidance, customer and employee
safety, visit www.emirates.com.
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