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illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Independent or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: British Airways has signed a £9 million deal to purchase over 33,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits, enhancing its decarbonization efforts for 2030 and its 2050 net-zero target
• The airline is partnering with Cur8 to invest in projects like reforestation, peat restoration, and carbon capture technologies
• This initiative makes British Airways the largest purchaser of carbon removal credits in the UK
🔭 The context: Carbon credits are used to offset emissions by funding projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere
• Critics argue that such offsets can delay real emission reductions, but British Airways views them as essential to meeting net-zero goals for the aviation industry
• The airline is also involved in projects capturing CO2 from whisky distilleries and using enhanced rock weathering
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Investing in carbon removal is critical for industries like aviation, where direct decarbonization is challenging. British Airways' move supports nature-based and technological solutions that could help offset emissions globally and mitigate climate impacts
⏭️ What's next: British Airways will continue scaling its carbon removal efforts while also investing in sustainable aviation fuel and electrifying ground vehicles, aiming for significant progress by 2030
• The future of aviation’s path to net-zero will likely depend on scaling these solutions
💬 One quote: “There is no pathway to net zero for aviation without carbon removals,” said Carrie Harris, British Airways’ director of sustainability
📈 One stat: British Airways is purchasing over 33,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits under this £9 million deal
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