Dutch airline, KLM, have released a new campaign, urging passengers to consider their carbon footprint. The CEO of the airline published an open letter, accompanied by a video targeting their customers and the aviation industry, asking both passengers and the industry to “work together” to “create a sustainable future for aviation”.
The letter states that “the aviation industry accounts for 2-3 percent of the man-made CO2 emissions in the world” and that this is likely to increase due to population growth. It also asks their passengers to “make responsible decisions about flying”.
The purpose of the campaign is to encourage passengers to make more informed flying decisions, taking into consideration the pollution that is caused. Passengers are asked by the airline to consider other travel possibilities such as trains and to evaluate whether it is completely necessary for a face-to-face meeting.
The campaign has gained criticism, as it appears KLM are shifting the blame for their CO2 emissions on to their passengers. Forbes commented on the campaign, questioning whether it is sincere or “just Greenwashing”.
However, KLM can be praised for their previous work towards lowering their emissions, where the airline is now using 57 times more biofuel than 2011, contributing to a CO2-emissions reduction of 17% per passenger in 2018.
What are your thoughts on this campaign? Do you think KLM are taking appropriate steps in reducing the amount of pollution created by the aviation industry? Or are they shifting the blame on to their passengers?
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