Gyanmandu:
Yeti Airlines has become the first airline in Nepal, and presumably South Asia, to successfully reduce and counteract its total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 2018. Taking a step with an approach towards the UN’s ‘Greening the Blue’ sight for climate neutrality the airline underwent an independent carbon audit process facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The carbon auditing calculated the airline’s total carbon emission and laid out plans to reduce and offset the GHG emission.
The audit unveiled that Yeti Airlines produced 19,665 tonnes of CO2e equivalent emission in 2018 from its entire operations which included a total of 19,648 tonnes from flights alone wheras vehicles and other facilities emitted a total of 17 tonnes. This is equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide tucked away by approximately 3,25,165 trees growing over the period of 10 years. The emission from it's flight operations accounts for over 99.9% of its total GHG emissions.
As part of the GHG suppressing plan held between 2017 and 2018, the airline was able to reduce CO2e equivalent emissions per flight by 20% and per passenger by 12%. The airlines embraced a more fuel efficient aircraft fleet for minimising and eradicating the GHG emissions. The airline has achieved their sight of GHG reduction as they lowered per passenger GHG emissions by expanding its fleet of fuel efficient aircraft, i.e. ATR72-500 while gradually phasing out it's Jetstream 41 operations. Yeti Airlines was also able to counteract its GHG emissions by procuring carbon credits.