Cathay Pacific and Dragonair reduces carbon emissions

Sister companies brought environmental,social benefits to Pearl River Delta by buying 30,000 tonnes of carbon-emission reductions.

Cathay Pacific Airways and sister airline Dragonair on Friday announced the purchase of 30,000 tonnes of carbon-emission reductions from carbon offset service provider Climate Action (www.climateactio2n.com) for the airlines’ FLY greener offset programme, according to a Cathay Pacific report

Both airlines regularly add to their inventory of carbon offsets as the previous year’s supply is retired and this is the third time new offsets have been purchased since the programme was launched in 2007. Cathay Pacific and Dragonair were the first Asian airlines to introduce a carbon offset programme, offering the offsets on a no-profit basis to passengers wishing to offset their carbon emissions.

The new project portfolio consists of a set of 95 small “run-of-river” hydropower stations in Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan provinces that link the electricity generated into the Pearl River Delta region; a group of 23 wind turbines in Shandong; and a “run-of-river” hydropower project in the Pearl River Delta region of Guangdong – the first time the airlines have collaborated on a project in Hong Kong’s neighbouring province.

All three projects have been verified in accordance with the Voluntary Carbon Standard, an internationally accepted carbon standard, and were rigorously vetted to ensure they produce real, quantifiable and permanent reductions in carbon emissions. Apart from their carbon reductions, the projects were chosen for added social and environmental benefits such as reducing local air pollution, enhancing the productivity of local farms, and providing power and jobs to local communities.

Cathay Pacific Head of Environmental Affairs Mark Watson said: “One of our key missions is to support Hong Kong and we are pleased that the Guangdong project is bringing sustainability benefits to the town of Lankou. Our latest purchase of carbon offsets underscores our ongoing commitment to offset emissions from our flights and to provide an opportunity for our passengers to play their part in reducing their carbon footprint.”

FLY greener is a voluntary scheme that provides passengers the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions attributable to their journey. Achievements to date include:

• A total 80,000 tonnes of CO2 offset through the programme since its launch
• In addition to individual passengers, companies based in Hong Kong, Mainland China and Taiwan have participated in the programme
• Since FLY greener’s launch, Cathay Pacific and Dragonair have offset staff travel amounting to 38,700 tonnes of CO2.