Did you know?
Airlines and airports are working with environmental groups and law enforcement to try and reduce the ability for wildlife traffickers to transport their illegal goods.
Relevance to aviation
Not normally seen as an area of major aviation impact, but some aviation projects can have an impact on land use – particularly building of infrastructure and potentially the use of sustainable aviation fuels. In addition, a number of aviation partners are involved in projects that help support this SDG.
Examples of action
- Since 2010, Singapore Airlines has been working in partnership with the Harapan Rainforest Initiative, which aims to restore and protect one of the world’s most threatened and biodiverse ecosystems. As of 2021, more than 6,900 hectares of forest had been restored.
- Chicago’s O’Hare is one of a number of airports that keep apiaries on their grounds, increasing pollination in the surrounding areas and used as a ‘biomonitor’ for air quality.
- One of the first airports to encourage bee colonies was Hamburg in 1999. As well as helping to foster pollination, they provide indicators as to the air, soil and flora, since pollen collected from the bees and honey is analysed for pollutants.
- The aviation sector is working with partners in government and conservation organisations to support law enforcement agencies in combatting the illegal wildlife trade. Through the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, the International Air Transport Association and Airports Council International are working to raise awareness of the illegal wildlife trade among employees and passengers.
- The International Air Transport Association is also a member of the Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES) partnership. This aims to disrupt wildlife trafficking activities.
- Since 2018, Bombardier has been participating in a long-term partnership to protect the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, near its manufacturing site in Querétaro, Mexico.
- The aviation sector is working through ICAO to ensure sustainable aviation fuel is produced in a sustainable manner, minimising negative land-use impacts.
- Sydney Airport works alongside partners to preserve biodiversity in the greater Botany Wetlands, of which Sydney Airport’s grounds make up part.
- Malaysia Airlines invites its passenger to support conservation efforts through donations. These are channeled to WWF-Malaysia’s forest conservation efforts, which supports the planting of native trees which in turn protects the habitats of wild orangutans.
- Air New Zealand partners with the New Zealand Department of Conservation to support a range of biodiversity projects across five of New Zealand's Great Walks, covering over 42,000 hectares. There are over 4,000 native species that are classified as 'at risk' and 900 of these are threatened with extinction. The objective is to enable sustained predator control and species monitoring, to the benefit of native species.
Learn more in the Flying in Formation report