28 July, 2020

Progress ‘Smart and Sustainable’ for Dutch Airports

This past year, the organisations affiliated with the Smart and Sustainable plan have been focusing on implementing an agenda which aims to improve the aviation sector’s impact on the environment. In 2019, the number of travellers at Schiphol Group airports (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Eindhoven Airport and Rotterdam The Hague Airport) increased slightly. The number of aircraft movements remained almost the same and kerosene consumption fell to below 2017 levels. Investing in sustainability is still important in this current climate - a time when the coronavirus is significantly affecting the aviation sector. Recently at Schiphol Group, a trial looking into a sustainable way to taxi aircraft was started, investments in sustainable fuels were made and there was also progress in research into electrically powered aircraft.

This update (in Dutch) shows you just what has been achieved in recent months regarding these different themes.



About the Smart and Sustainable plan

In 2018, twenty leading transportation organisations and knowledge institutions joined forces. They all believe that a significant reduction in CO2 emissions in the aviation sector is possible, and that aviation can, therefore, be one of the most sustainable, comfortable and fast methods of transportation. The Smart and Sustainable plan was drawn up and in it are seven themes that will make a significant contribution to making aviation in the Netherlands more sustainable. CE Delft assesses the plan as ambitious and specific, and concludes that the stated goal is achievable.

In 2018, 20 leading transport organisations and knowledge institutions joined forces. We believe that a significant reduction in the CO2 emissions in aviation and aviation aking it one of the most durable, comfortable and fast modes of transport. Together we have the smart and sustainable action plan, in which, within seven themes make a significant contribution to the making aviation more sustainable in the Netherlands. In this 'state of affairs' you can read what we have for the different themes. This is a in addition to the previous state of affairs, published in April 2019. For convenience, these results are also short summarized to create a complete overview. 


We believe that aviation is the most efficient way transport for distances from 700 kilometres. But even for shorter distances, zero-emission aviation can be make an important contribution to the mix of modalities that enable sustainable travel. Purpose of this action plan is to reduce CO2 emissions from aviation from to the level of the Netherlands by 2030 2005. This objective is in line with the draft aviation memorandum 2020 – 2050 and the Climate Table Agreement Sustainable Aviation. CE Delft has calculated and principles of the Smart and Sustainable Action Plan Validated. It assesses the plan as ambitious and concrete and concludes that the stated goal feasible.

In 2019, we focused on initiating the agreed actions and the actual reduction of impact, and it has succeeded. At the airports of national interest, in 2019, the number of travellers with almost increased 2% to 81.1 million and the number of flights remained virtually the same compared to 2018.

Nevertheless, kerosene consumption in the Netherlands is up by more than 2% reduced* and therefore it is below the kerosene consumption of 2017. These results show that the road to sustainability of the aviation sector effect Has. Many improvements are not immediately visible, but where possible, we show what we do. For example, KLM schiphol group on Friday 13 September 2019 together organised the seminar 'Making aviation more sustainable: from dilemmas to doing'. With a large group stakeholders, we have discussed dilemmas and opportunities around the issue of sustainability aviation. Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) was built in November 2019 on have been to Schiphol to learn more about the sustainability of the operation. It was a joint easyJet, KLM, Schiphol, Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) and
TU Delft.

Due to the international nature of aviation, making the aviation sector more sustainable at least to be arrested at European level. From the Dutch Slim and sustainable action agenda is now becoming a European 'sustainable' aviation roadmap' created by KLM, easyJet, among others, TUI, Royal Schiphol Group, LVNL, NLR and their European Partners. Partly at the initiative of Royal Schiphol Group European airports, affiliated with Airports Council International, committed to reducing emissions by 2050 will be and actively contribute to the emission-free aviation.




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