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Southwest Airlines Community

Investing in Sustainability Together Every Day

stacymalphurs
Employee
Employee

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Last October we proudly unveiled our 10-year Environmental Sustainability plan to reduce our carbon emissions intensity* by at least 20% by 2030, maintain carbon neutrality to 2019 levels every year through the end of the decade, and replace 10% of our total jet fuel consumption with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030—all while continuing to grow our operations. This all ladders up to our larger goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

 

Efforts are well underway and I’m so proud of the Teams working to accomplish these goals. Environmental sustainability is a Team effort and to achieve these goals, every person at Southwest Airlines will need to play a role. Not to mention, we continue to stay actively engaged with our Customers, Corporate Partners, and Community Members on ways they can support environmental sustainability as well. Talk about a collaborative effort!

 

This Earth Day reminds us that we must invest in our planet and that addressing the climate crisis requires every business and every industry to take action. At Southwest, our purpose is to connect People to what’s most important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. Investing in sustainability and working toward our climate goals is about ensuring we can continue to deliver on that promise because we believe that doing good for the planet is also good business.

 

Our path forward is not an easy one, but we’re committed to driving progress and change and remain proud of the steps we’ve taken so far:  

 

  • Reduce: One way we continue to reduce our carbon emissions intensity is through our fleet modernization efforts as we recognize the importance of operating aircraft that are more fuel-efficient, optimal for our operation, and which provide our Customers a comfortable experience. To support that goal, in 2021, we restructured and increased our delivery schedule for MAX aircraft. As of February 2022, our fleet plans included an order book containing 84 MAX firm orders and 30 MAX options for 2022, as well as plans to retire 28 Boeing 737-700 aircraft in 2022, and for 30-35 737-700 retirements annually thereafter. This order book underscores our commitment to modernizing our fleet with more fuel-efficient aircraft.

 

  • Replace: We know that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is critical to de-carbonizing aviation. We are working with various organizations to facilitate the development and production of SAF at significant scale. That includes a 15-year agreement with Velocys Renewables for 219 million gallons of SAF. As announced by Velocys, once blended with conventional jet fuel, this SAF could produce the equivalent of 575 million gallons of net-zero1 fuel and avoid 6.5 million metric tons of CO2 over the term of the agreement. This agreement will allow us to utilize the lowest carbon intensity sustainable aviation fuel announced to date!

 

  • Offset: We continue to partner with CHOOOSE™ to enable Customers to contribute towards the purchase of carbon offsets for Southwest. During Earth Month, from April 22 to May 22, Southwest Customers can earn 2X Rapid Rewards points with every carbon offset purchase to mitigate the emissions associated with their travel while supporting projects that help reduce or avoid carbon emissions. These include supporting the Kootznoowoo Improved Forest Management Project in Alaska, the Los Santos Wind Power Project in Costa Rica, and the Guatemalan Conservation Coast.

 

Did you know we are the first U.S.-based airline with a carbon offset offer that includes loyalty points? Through this program, Customers can earn Rapid Rewards bonus points per dollar contributed to help Southwest offset its carbon emissions. And because we’re the airline with Heart, for every dollar you contribute, we will also contribute a dollar to the purchase of additional offsets.** Don’t forget, you can purchase offsets in response to your nonrevenue travel too! To participate visit Southwest.com/wannaoffsetcarbon.

 

  • Partner: Partnerships play a crucial role in our sustainability efforts, along with government support and collaboration throughout the entire value chain. We have several partnerships we’re excited about, including our work with Yale's Center for Natural Carbon Capture and Yale's School of the Environment. Last year we committed $10 million to fund activities at the center to support research into natural solutions for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. We also and are continuing our efforts to support government incentives to help facilitate the scaling of SAF. It’s critical we support the development of crucial science and technologies that will help us combat climate change.

 

The journey toward environmental sustainability doesn’t start and end on Earth Day. Our goal to Reduce, Replace, Offset, and Partner are important steps that we remain focused on year-round in our effort to create a more sustainable future.

 

Interested in learning more about all of the great work we have going on in the Environmental Sustainability space? Be sure to check out the 2021 One Report

 

 

*Scope 1 and 2 emissions as compared to 2019, excludes the use of carbon offsets, includes the use of sustainable aviation fuel

 

**Taxes and fees will not be matched by Southwest or earn points. Rapid Rewards Members can earn 10 Rapid Rewards bonus points per dollar contributed towards the purchase of offsets for Southwest up to a maximum of 500 Rapid Rewards bonus points per month. Points will only be awarded to the Rapid Rewards Member’s Rapid Rewards account number entered at the time of the carbon offset transaction. Allow up to eight weeks for bonus points to appear in the Rapid Rewards Account. All offsets will be retired in the name of Southwest Airlines Co. Terms and conditions apply.