Lufthansa Group has expanded its climate protection project portfolio, increasing its focus on technology-based carbon removal solutions as part of its sustainability strategy.
The updated portfolio now includes 14 climate protection projects certified to recognised international standards. Around 20 percent of the portfolio now consists of projects designed to permanently remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The projects are located across Lufthansa Group’s home markets, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy, as well as in other international regions.
Nina Sproedt, Head of Sustainability at Lufthansa Group, said:Climate protection projects, which complement our own emission reduction measures, are an important building block on the path to more sustainable aviation and the achievement of our climate goals. With our carefully curated portfolio, we are increasingly focusing on technology-based projects that enable long-term CO₂ sequestration. In this way, we are contributing to the further development and scaling of these technologies. We offer our passengers the opportunity to support high-quality climate protection projects and the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, thereby actively participating in the transformation of aviation.
The airline group is working with organisations including myclimate, First Climate, Ceezer, Senken, Climeworks and 1PointFive on the revised portfolio.
The portfolio is divided into “avoidance” and “removal” projects. Avoidance projects seek to prevent emissions through measures such as energy-efficient cookstoves and modular biogas systems. Removal projects focus on extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it over the long term.
Nature-based removal projects include reforestation initiatives, while technology-based approaches involve processes such as converting captured carbon into biochar or using Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) systems.
With this update, DACCS projects have been incorporated into the group’s portfolio for the first time. The technology captures carbon dioxide directly from ambient air before storing it underground for long-term sequestration.
Lufthansa Group is collaborating with partners including Deep Sky, Airbus and Climeworks on the development and application of DACCS technologies.
