Aviators to back sustainability in election, poll finds

According to the investigation, 49 per cent of aviation professionals said climate change and the environment will be key considerations when choosing who to vote for in the next election.

It makes the environment the third biggest factor for aviators when choosing where to place their vote, behind economic policies and defence/national security measures.

Meanwhile, 46 per cent of aviation workers noted that energy and resources would be a key consideration before casting their vote, while 44 per cent flagged innovation and technology as important.

Further, the survey result suggests that 49 per cent of aviation professionals are not absolutely certain on where their vote is likely to go, meaning where a party stands on these factors ahead of the election could ultimately see aviation workers swing their vote.

As it stands, 32 per cent of respondents are certain they see their vote sent to the Liberal National Coalition, while 19 per cent are certain they will vote for the Australian Labor Party (under the two-party preferential system).

The issue of sustainability has become of increasing importance in the aviation sector for decades, with many of the belief that the survival of the sector will be dependent on transitioning to low or no-emissions alternatives to current jet fuel-operated aircraft.

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Speaking in 2019, the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) then-director general Alexandre de Juniac said sustainability will become one of the three core principles guiding the aviation industry forward.

In September 2020, Boeing announced it had appointed its inaugural chief sustainability officer, reaffirming the planemaker’s commitment to the future of sustainable aviation, while more recently, rival Airbus announced it has created 6,000 new jobs to propel its efforts in sustainable aviation solutions.

Closer to home, Qantas revealed in December that its flights from London will soon be partially fuelled by sustainable aviation fuel derived from cooking oils.

In a major shift towards sustainability, the flag carrier has signed a deal with BP to purchase 10 million litres of SAF in 2022 with an option to purchase up to another 10 million litres in 2023 and 2024 for flights from Heathrow Airport.

This represents up to 15 per cent of Qantas’ annual fuel use out of the British capital and will reduce its carbon emissions by 10 per cent.

The fuel will be produced with certified bio feedstock from used cooking oil and other waste products. This is then blended with normal jet fuel.