Climate Action Plan

Contents
Introduction5
KLM’s climate strategy

9Looking back: what have we done so far?

11

Mapping our emissions

14

Flight operations

16

Ground energy consumption

27

Value chain

28

Outlook towards 2050

33

Other climate contributions38

Our broader sustainability impact

45

List of abbreviations

48

Footnotes492Preface
In 2022, KLM published its first Climate Action Plan. In it, we shared our climate strategy, targets,and actions, and showed how they align with KLM’s purpose and strategy and the challenges of
the aviation industry. Our ambitions were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi),
giving us a clear path towards 2030.
During the year, we began translating our renewed strategy into tangible actions to decarbonize our flight
operations. This has been a learning journey and we will improve our approach as we learn valuablelessons, as better technologies come to market and as the world around us changes. To account for our
progress so far and keep our stakeholders informed, we have updated our Climate Action Plan to this2023 version. The main changes revolve around:•	KLM’s renewed purpose and ambition.
•	Further defining our pathway towards 2030 and specifying tangible actions in the areas of fleet renewal,
operational measures, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
•	Finalizing a first comprehensive screening of emissions in our value chain (Scope 3 emissions) anddetermining further steps.
• Describing our efforts to mitigate the non-carbon dioxide (CO2) climate effects of aviation.
• Further defining our vision and outlook towards 2050.
Throughout 2023, we will engage with all KLM departments to close the gaps in our projections, on top of
the actions we are currently taking and the measures already in place. We will publish an updated versionof the Climate Action Plan every year.

3

Introduction
KLM’s climate strategy
Looking back: what have we done so far?
Mapping our emissions
Flight operations
Ground energy consumption
Value chain
Outlook towards 2050
Other climate contributionsOur broader sustainability impact
List of abbreviations
Footnotes

4Introduction
KLM, the oldest airline in the world flying under its original name, has been connecting people,
communities and economies since 1919. Operating from Schiphol Airport, KLM Royal Dutch
Airlines, KLM Cityhopper and low-cost brand Transavia, transport leisure and business passengers
between 92 European cities and 70 intercontinental destinations. In addition, KLM transports
cargo and offers engineering and maintenance (E&M) services to customers worldwide. KLM isa partner in the SkyTeam alliance, which serves 1,063 destinations in 173 countries, and is partof the Air France-KLM Group.
KLM has worked on sustainability since the 1990s and has long been a sustainability frontunner in
the aviation industry. However, in light of overwhelming climate research, the tangible effects of climatechange, increasing competition in the industry and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we haverealized that there are limits to our planet, and that immediate action is needed if we want to continue
to operate inside these limits.
Rather than developing a business strategy and a separate sustainability strategy, we put sustainability
at the core of our strategy. This means balancing financial returns and customer satisfaction with oursustainability performance, and connecting people globally in a sustainable manner. In light of this, we
renewed our purpose, which is now:

“Creating memorable experiences, on the planet we care for”
This implies that only by taking responsibility for our actions and reducing our climate impact, can we
continue to exist successfully in the future.

5Three strategic pillars
KLM’s strategy is built on three main pillars. The first is to ‘transformto a net-positive company’, which encompasses our ambitions onsustainability but also our role as a business in society. Net-positivempa

Pioneering
to become afrontrunner insustainableaviationadmeans generating more value for society, the environment and the

at

gical
n o lochteme nt
e n ce
va

Trans
for
p
o
si tiv m t
n et
o
e
co

a

ny

C re

global economy than we consume.
We generate value by moving people and vital cargo across the world, but
this comes at a certain cost to our environment and society. As a part of ourstrategy, we aim to reduce our impact as soon and as much as possible,
create transparency on what we are doing, show the progress we make,and involve our supply chain and wider ecosystem.
To achieve this, we need to go beyond where we are today and ‘createtechnological advancement’. This second pillar of our strategy focuses on the
future of aviation, and more specifically zero-emission aviation. It also includes
improvements to current processes and IT foundations essential to achieving

ne p
i
l
r
ur
g re at ai
eo
p
cu s
to m ers & ourn amore sustainable air travel.

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fo

ro

Ru

We continue to believe in the need for and viability of global aviation.
We aim to improve our environmental performance and achieve technologicaladvancement, but we will continue to ‘run a great airline for our customers& our people’, the third pillar or our strategy. This might mean we sometimes
have to make difficult trade-offs between our objectives.

6

There are four areas in which we will focus our efforts to reduce our emissions:

2%. Redesigning the EU airspace can increase operational efficiency byanother 2%3.

1. 	Fleet renewal and radical innovation. Reducing our fuel consumption is

3. Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Our ambition is to use 10% of SAF worldwide

the most effective way to reduce our emissions. As every generation of

in 2030 with a minimum life cycle CO2 reduction of 75% compared to fossil

new aircraft uses less fuel, our fleet renewal plan is an important pillar inkerosene. In 2022, we have already secured half of that ambition4. We have

reducing our emissions. We have a fleet renewal plan in place until 2040,

begun to purchase significant volumes of SAF5 and are involved in thewhich will enable us to reach 12% of our 2030 goal to lower our relative

development of SAF through a growing number of SAF supply partnerships.

CO2 emissions by 30%. This fleet renewal plan includes the introduction of

The use of 10% SAF will add another 8% to our 2030 intensity target.

the new A320/321Neo aircraft for our medium-haul fleet, which will be
1

4. Other measures. Some areas of our decarbonization strategy still need toaround 20% per passenger-kilometer (ppkm) compared to the aircraft typebe finalized, including measures to boost operational efficiency andthey replace, and four new A350F freighter aircraft2, which will reduce ourincrease the uptake of SAF.

full freighter CO2 emissions by 40% on an absolute basis. In addition, it is ourambition to operate a zero-emission flight in this decade.

Beyond the focus on our own actions, we are involving our customers and2. Flight operational efficiency. Increasing operational efficiency will help us

suppliers. Nudging our customers towards more sustainable travel options andreach our 2030 intensity target with 2-4% in 2030. Route optimization,

working together with suppliers to develop the most sustainable products

weight reduction and measures to increase fuel efficiency could account forpossible is key to achieving our sustainability goals.

More sustainable fleet thanks tomore efficient and quieter aircraft

Please note that this is a rough visual outline,
the exact numbers can be found above in the text.
A more detailed visual projection can be found on page 19.

Operational measures such asSingle European Sky
More sustainable aviation fuels

Radical innovation like electric
flying or on Hydrogen
New generation aircraft such as Flying-V

1990

Today

2030

2040

2050

7

Introduction

KLM’s climate strategy
Looking back: what have we done so far?
Mapping our emissions
Flight operations
Ground energy consumption
Value chain
Outlook towards 2050
Other climate contributionsOur broader sustainability impact
List of abbreviations
Footnotes

8

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

KLM’s climate
strategy
In 2021 aviation accounted for over 2% of global energy-related CO2 emissions, having grown fasterin recent decades than road, rail or shipping. As countries emerged from COVID-19 lockdowns,
aviation emissions reached around 720 Mt in 2021, regaining nearly one-third of the drop in 20206.
Taking other greenhouse gases (GHGs) and warming effects into account, including non-CO2 climate
effects, the total impact of aviation on global warming is expected to be three times that of CO27.
The aviation industry acknowledges it is responsible for reducing its impact, but is considered a hard-to-abate
sector due to a lack of alternatives and a rise in demand for flying. The industry’s main obstacle to reducing its
impact is the absence of readily-available zero-emission technology, which is likely to persist until at least
20358. This does not preclude us from taking our responsibility, so in the meantime, a mix of measures isnecessary to achieve emission reductions. KLM is taking responsibility for pushing the boundaries and finding
adequate solutions, and is taking a leading role in the industry towards sustainable aviation.
In 2022 KLM’s direct CO2 emissions from flight operations were 9.07 Mt (2019: 12.03 Mt)9. We realize our
impact extends beyond CO2, but non-CO2 climate effects are currently not included in our quantitative
target. While there is consensus on the fact that non-CO2 emissions have an impact, there is disagreementon the magnitude of this impact and the mitigation measures that are needed. Actions to limit non-CO2
climate effects often result in increased CO2 emissions, and because of a lack of scientific pathways, weprioritize decarbonizing our operations. Nonetheless, we will address non- CO2 as well as other types ofimpact in this plan.

9

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Global greenhouse gas emissions
per capita by sector, 2019

Transport emissions
As part of the total greenhouse gasses in the EU* (2019)**

In tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalents per person per year.
2

Electricity
and heat2.05 t1.09 tTransport
Manufacturing
and construction

Transport

28,5%

0,1%

0.75 tFugitive emissions

0,1%
Other formsof transport

0.82 tAgriculture

Other sectors***0.44 tRailroads

Buildings

0.4 t

Industry

0.4 tLand-use change
and forestry

0.21 tWaste

0.21 tAviationand shipping

0.17 t
0t

0.5 t

0,1%

Road transport

20,5%
Aviation

1t

1.5 t

Source: Our World in Data based on Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT).
OurWorldInData.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions • CC BY

2t

Shipping

National

International

National

International

0,4%

3,4%

0,4%

3,6%

Source: Europees Mileuagentschap (2022)*Excluding the United Kingdom (EU-27)**Excluding Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF)***Energy, industry, housing, commerce, institutions, agriculture, forestry, fisheries
and others

10Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Looking back: what have we done so far?
KLM’s climate actions date back to the 1990s when we started our environmental reporting. In theearly 2000s, KLM began publishing annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports and became
ISO 14001 certified. Since 2007, KLM has been studying and supporting sustainable innovations,specifically the development of new aircraft and SAF. That year, KLM collaborated with WWF
Netherlands to conduct research into SAF and in 2008 KLM took part in a pilot project that delivered
the first samples of pure algae kerosene. In the same year, together with Air France, KLM joined theRoundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB), which supported the development of a comprehensive andinternationally accepted sustainability certification scheme. The European Union officially recognized
the RSB standards in 2011. In 2012, KLM developed a long-term sustainability vision that further
integrated CSR into our business strategy and operations. Furthermore, in 2012 KLM started adding apercentage of SAF on commercial flights. Around 100 commercial flights from Amsterdam to Paris were
flown using a small amount of SAF mixed with kerosene. That year, KLM also succeeded in flying thefirst transatlantic flight to Rio de Janeiro on conventional fuel mixed with SAF.
We also became the first in the industry to launch a SAF program for corporate clients, allowing them to reduce
their business travel carbon footprint by purchasing SAF. For private customers, the option to voluntarily
purchase SAF was introduced in 2022. Since 2008, KLM has been enabling private customers to voluntarily
compensate their CO2 emissions through the CO2 Impact Programme.
In line with the long-term sustainability vision determined in 2012, we committed to two CO2 reduction targets
for 2020. Firstly, we aimed to reduce our CO2 emissions per passenger-kilometer (ppkm) by 20% in 2020
(relative to the 2009 level). We achieved this target and reported a reduction of 21.6% by 2019, which wasachieved through fleet renewal, operational measures, and a small amount of SAF. Also, we used offsetting toreach this target. However, we did not reach our target in 2020, because of the impact of COVID’19. Secondly,
KLM set itself a 20% improvement in ground operation energy efficiency by 2020 (relative to the 2011 level),by optimizing energy consumption and increasing the use of renewable energies. This target was achieved in2020 as well.

11

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

KLM HAS A LONG TRACKRECORD IN SUSTAINABILITY

KLM initiates The
Sustainable Flight
Challenge

Code of Conduct
for supply chain
Start adding 0.5% SAF
in flights departingfrom Amsterdam

1990
First reportingon sustainability

First airline with
ISO14001
certification

Start Corporate SAF
Programme

Daily flight to
LAX adding alittle SAF

First flight in theworld (partly) on
synthetic kerosene

63 % electrified
ground support
equipment

A first commercial flightwith 39.01% of SAF

SBTI validation

2019
First commercial
flight partially on SAF

Start project DSL-01
SAF Plant

2023
Start adding 1% SAF
in flights departingfrom Amsterdam

CARGO SAF
Programme

UN Global Impact
signatory

2009
Launch CO2 Impact
Programme

First test flight with
biofuel (SAF)

Duurzame
Luchtvaarttafel

Collaboration withTU Delft with
Flying-V

Replacing DTL
by HVO100 on
Schiphol2030
Intensify fleet renewal
programme with
Airbus A32X neo and A350F

Figure 1 ‘Track record sustainability KLM.’

12

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

The graph in figure 2 below shows the reduction in absolute CO2 emissions since 2005. This portrays a gradual decrease in emissions, with a huge drop in 2020 and 2021
due to the pandemic. Figure 3 shows a decline in emissions ppkm over time, illustrating KLM’s increasing efficiency. Both figures portray only a decrease and efficiency in
Scope 1 emissions, thus direct emissions from flight operations.

Absolute CO2 emissions million tonnes

ABSOLUTE CO2 EMISSIONS KLM GROUP
15
12.56M

12.93M12.53M

13.06M12.10M12

11.86M

12.29M

12.21M

12.08M12.13M12.18M

11.96M

12.01M

11.94M

12.03M

9.07M

9
6,68M

7,42M

6
3
0

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

88.23

86.00

2022

Gram CO2 per passenger-kilometer

CO2 PER PASSENGER-KILOMETER
100

93.00

93.00

89.50

92.30

91.00

85.90

89.40

80

71.40

75.90

74.80

74.90

71.50

68.40

67.00

64.20

61.92

60
40
20
0

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

Figure 2 and 3. ‘Absolute CO2 Scope 1 emissions KLM Group 2005-2022.’ and ‘CO2 Scope 1 emissions per passenger-kilometer of KLM and KLM Cityhopper (2005-2022).
Transavia is included from 2012 onwards. Including market based measures (EU ETS introduced in 2012), compensation and SAF.

13

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Mapping ouremissions
In order to take effective decarbonization
measures, it is essential to have a thoroughunderstanding of our emissions footprint.
Our primary source of GHG emissions is CO2that derives from the use of jet fuel, which
accounts for 99% of our Scope 1 emissions.
The remainder comes from ground operations.
To expand our decarbonization target to cover
all emission scopes, we have taken steps this year
to enhance our methodology and data collection
for Scope 3 emissions calculations. This will be
explained in the following chapters. A firstmeasurement shows that our Scope 3 emissions
in 2019 were approximately 27% of our total
emissions, of which 0% came from jet fuel, and
20% from purchased goods and services(including capital goods). The remaining 10%
of Scope 3 emissions are distributed acrossthe remaining emission categories.
In the following chapters we will explore thecomposition of the emissions from our flight
operations, ground operations and our value
chain, as well as our reduction targets and actions.

14

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

SCOPE 1:SCOPE 3:

Direct emissions coming fromour controlled operations.

Emissions created in the value
chain as a result of KLM’sbusiness activities, including
emissions from the productionof fuels and energy and thepurchase of good and services.

VALUE CHAINOWN OPERATIONS

99%

of our scope 1
emissions come from flight
operations (jet fuel)2019
GHG FOOTPRINT:
16,548(1,000 TONNES
CO2e)*

73%

27%
Fuel & energy

Jet fuel

Purchased goods & services(inc. Capital Goods)

Other operations

Other

0,2%

SCOPE 2:

PURCHASED ELECTRICITY(Location based)

Emissions from the generationof purchased electricity.

*Including an estimateof KLM’s scope 3 emissions.

Figure 4. ‘Mapping our emissions.’15

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Flight operations
Flight operation involves all activities required
to operate an aircraft, such as dispatch, flight

EXTERNAL VALIDATION OF OUR TARGETS:
THE SCIENCE BASED TARGETS INITIATIVE

planning and the actual operation of theaircraft. The amount of fuel required for a

The SBTi is a partnership between four Non-Governmental

flight depends on many factors, e.g. theOrganizations (NGOs) and knowledge institutes: the Carbon

aircraft type, the aircraft weight (including

Disclosure Project (CDP), World Resources Institute (WRI), UN

catering, crew, passengers and cargo), theGlobal Compact and World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). SBTiroute to be flown, weather conditions, fuelhelps private-sector organizations set climate targets in line

policy, aircraft speed and altitudes.

with the Paris Climate Agreement, based on what science tells
them is necessary and based on an industry’s abilities toTargets

decarbonise. These guidelines are based on scientific data andassumptions from the International Energy Agency (IEA) andlatest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report

We have committed to reducing well-to-wakeand are developed in collaboration with industry experts. To

Scope 1 and 3 jet fuel CO2 emissions by 30%

keep the aviation industry’s decarbonisation pathway aligned

per Revenue Tonne Kilometer (RTK) by 2030

with a well below 2°C trajectory, the SBTi introduced guidelines

from a 2019 base year. The term “well-to-wa-

specific to aviation in August 2021. These guidelines have beenke" describes the CO2 emissions of the entire

used to set KLM’s target and we are in the process of studying

lifecycle of kerosene, from its extraction to its

interim guidelines that were published in February 2023 for a

combustion as a fuel. By setting an intensity

1.5°C pathway. A first glance indicates that these new guidelines

target, we aim to reduce emissions per unit ofwill only impact targets set after 2030 and that the current

activity, allowing us to seek improvements intargets of KLM are in line with the interim pathway of 1.5°C.

efficiency.

However, the projections in this Climate Action Plan are basedon a well below 2°C scenario.

Although the SBTi does not require an absolutetarget for aviation, we have derived an absolute
reduction projection for 2030 that is separate from16

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

the intensity target. Based on our own calculations using the SBTi method,

Intensity target

we need to reduce 12% of our absolute emissions in 2030 compared to 2019.
In figure 5 we see the sector intensity pathway and the required KLM pathThere are a few things that need to be noted about these targets. Firstly,

way. A KLM compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.95% has been assumed

they cover KLM’s Scope 1 and 3 jet fuel emissions (well to wake) generated(SBTi assumes 2.9%, as they take worldwide growth into account), based on

by our flight operations. Secondly, following the SBTi guidelines, neither

the available seat/tonne kilometers until 2030 and an analysis of our network

market-based measures (i.e. European Union Emission Trading Scheme

projections and fleet development.

(EU ETS) and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International
Aviation (CORSIA)) nor offsetting are counted towards the overall CO2
reduction. Third, non-CO2 climate effects that may also contribute toaviation-induced warming are not included in this target, but we will findways to discover opportunities for mitigating them and report on our progresseach year.

GRCO2 /RTK WELL TO WAKE
1200
1000

Table 1. ‘Overview CO2 Reduction Targets KLM Group.’
CO2 reduction
targets KLM group

CO2 reduction in 2030
compared to 2019(scope 1 & 3 from jet fuel)Intensity target (pRTK)-30%

Absolute reduction absolute
reduction (based on SBT
forecasts)

-12%

800
600
400
200
0
2019

2025

2030

Sector intensity (GrCO2 /RTK)

2035

2040

2045

2050

Required KLM Group intensity (GrCO2 /RTK)

Figure 5. ‘Intensity pathway SBTi including KLM intensity, sector intensity andKLM outlook.

17

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

KLM ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS

-30%

-50%

CO2 per RTK(Revenue Tonne Kilometer)

Net-zeroemissionsnon-residual& non-hazardous
waste

CO2

10%
SAF worldwide

1%
SAF worldwide

Zero groundemissions-12%
Absolute CO2

>10%

CO2

CO2 Impact Programmeparticipation

2022

2030

2050

KLM Flightplan

KLM Climate Action Plan

Industry target
ICAO/IATA

CO2 related

SAF related

Waste related18

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions
ABSOLUTE CO2 PROJECTION KLM GROUP

ABSOLUTE CO2 PROJECTION KLM GROUP

The way forward

20

Fleet renewal

18

Operational efficiency

20

Sustainable

16

Aviation Fuel16

an action plan towards 2030. This comprises

14

multiple actions across four main domains. The
following graph shows these levers and theircapacity to reduce our impact.

tonnes CO2 millions

In order to reach our targets, we have developed

tonnes CO2 millions

18

12

3. The top red line shows the ‘do nothing’ scenario

2

and action in the four areas described below result02019 level

4
2

2019
2019

2023

INTENSITY CO2 PROJECTION KLM GROUP

The graph in figure 7 shows the absolute emissions

1200

and 3 of our flight operations. From 2020 we have

2030
2030

20
INTENSITY
CO2 PROJECTION KLM GROUP

Fleet renewal

1200
18

Operational
efficiency
Fleet renewal

16

Sustainable
Operational efficiency
Aviation FuelgrCO2 tonnes/RTK CO2 millions

used the same underlying assumptions as for the800
grCO2 /RTK

2026

1000
14

1000

intensity target. The graph shows that our renewed

2023
2026

ABSOLUTE CO2 PROJECTION KLM GROUP

of the KLM group from 2019 until 2030 for Scope 1

600

400

Sustainable
Remaining
emissions
Aviation Fuel

12
800

Projection
Remaining without
emissions
measures10

Projection without
Absolute C02 target
measures

600
8

2019
levelC0 target
Absolute
2

62019 level

400
4
200

2
200

on top of our current activities. Below we elaborate

0

0
2019

2019

2023

0

2026

2019

2023
2023

2026
2026

2030

2030
2030

Figure6 and Operational
7. ‘CO2 emissions
per RTK(WTW)
projection
KLM C0group
SBTi’
INTENSITY
CO2 PROJECTION
GROUP
Fleet renewal
Sustainable
Remaining
Projection2019 level
AbsoluteKLM
Aviation Fueltargetand Absolute efficiency
CO2 emissions(WTW) emissions
projection without
KLM
group
SBTi.'
measures2

1200

Fleet renewal
Operational efficiency

1000

Sustainable
Aviation Fuel

800

19

Remaining emissions
Projection without/RTK

on this.

Absolute C02 target

0in the target line for 2030 at the bottom.

measures need to be investigated and implemented

measures10

6

the KLM group from 2019 until 2030 for Scope 1 andof the intensity pathway in figure 6. This means new

Projection without

8

4

SBTi goals, similar to what is portrayed in the first part

12

8

6

pathway requires additional CO2 reduction to meet the

Remaining emissions

10

The graph in figure 6 shows the emissions per RTK ofprojection in line with our SBTi decarbonization

14

measuresLooking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

1Fleet renewal
and radical innovation

Current activities
The most effective way to reduce our carbon footprint is to invest in a more
fuel-efficient fleet. KLM is investing in more modern, high-performance aircraftwith a significantly lower environmental impact. In 2021, KLM welcomed thefirst of 25 new Embraer 195-E2 aircraft, which emit approximately 30% less
CO2 per passenger-kilometer than the Embraer 190 they replace. The Airbus
A321neo emits approximately 20% less CO2 per passenger-kilometer than its
predecessor (Boeing 737-800). In addition, we will replace the full-freighter
Boeing 747-400 by new Airbus A350F freighters, which is expected toconsume 40% less fuel10. By including the freighters, approximately 12% of our
30% intensity target for 2030 will be reached by fleet renewal. Beyond thesemeasures, we are evaluating replacements for our oldest long-haul aircraft inthe second half of this decade.

Activities towards 2030
We are investigating zero-emission aviation and our ambition is to operate azero-emission flight in this decade. By pioneering such flights, which require
not just different aircraft but possibly a new operational approach, we hope toinspire other airlines and catalyze zero-emission aviation in the wider industry.

20

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

2

Flight operational
efficiency

Commission to create a Single European Sky• KLM’s unique fuel model reduces the required(SES), which would improve the capacity,reserve fuel for unforeseen circumstances bysafety, efficiency and environmental impact of

15 million kilograms per year, saving

Europe’s airspace. We support the required

approximately 47,000 tonnes CO2. This is theKLM is pursuing ways to reduce fuelreform of the European Air Traffic Management

equivalent of 3,000 B737 flights fromconsumption by increasing the efficiency of

System at the institutional, operational,

Amsterdam to Barcelona.

our flight operations, such as measures totechnological and control and supervision level.

reduce weight and flying at optimal speeds.

This could cut aviation emissions in the

We expect to reduce 2-4% of CO2 in 2030

European Union by up to 10%.

compared to 2019 by implementing thesea flight from Zurich to Amsterdam could be 220

efficient operations e.g. flying the most fueland other measures.

kilometers shorter.

efficient speeds, altitude and route.

• KLM is involved in the Dutch Airspace Redesign• In 2020, KLM introduced a new climb

Current activities

Program (DARP) discussions, which enables theprocedure (adjusted for the Noise Abatement

Many fuel saving initiatives are already in place,use of more efficient routes in the European

Departure Procedure 2), reducing the fuelfor example:

and Dutch airspace. This redesign is expected

used during the climb by 2 million kilograms

to be completed in 2030, which should lead toper year. Taxiing on one instead of two

optimized routing and less fuel consumptionengines has been made standard for mostbetween point A and point B rarely go in aand noise pollution. Combined, SES and DARP

aircraft, saving 700,000 kilograms of fuel every

straight line, even thought that would be thecould help us save 1-3 % fuel per year.

year or 2,000 tonnes CO2.

•	Route optimization; International flights

11

For example,

possible, the procedures that lead to the most• When fuel is more expensive at a flight’s

most fuel efficient. Instead, flight paths meander
across the sky as they account for weather,•	Fuel-efficient procedures; Pilots apply, when•	Weight reduction; The lighter the aircraft,destination than at our Schiphol base, it makes

airspace congestion, noise regulation, politicalthe less fuel it consumes. KLM is working hard

economic sense to depart from Schiphol withand military restrictions and different procedures

to reduce weight and in recent years has

the fuel for the return flight. But this means

used by national air traffic control agencies. KLM

successfully implemented the following changes:

more weight and thus CO2 emissions, and weis doing three things to make flight routes as• The weight of catering and service equipment

have decided to end this practice. This reduces

fuel-efficient as possible:

has been reduced saving 3.9 million kilograms

absolute CO2 emission by 14 million kilograms• KLM’s advanced flight plan computer system

CO2 per year.

per year (0.1% of our total absolute CO2

calculates the most fuel efficient route.

• Flights departing from AMS carry less drinking

emissions).

• KLM has been encouraging the European

water, saving 2.7 million kilograms CO2 per year.

21

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions•M obile engine water wash; A cleaner aircraft engines is more fuel efficient.
KLM in 2019 begun to use mobile engine washers to clean the engines moreregularly, leading to fuel savings of 3.4 million kilograms per year and a CO2
reduction of approximately 10,000 tonnes.

Activities towards 2030
KLM has developed an operational efficiency roadmap to improve theoperational efficiency until 2030. The plans will help us reach an absolute aswell as relative reduction of 2% CO2 on the total emissions of flight operations.
The following initiatives are in scope:•	In-flight optimizers: KLM is testing new flight profile optimizers, IT applications
that use more advanced aircraft performance and wind models to optimize
the aircraft route, speed and altitude during the flight. We expect absolute
CO2 savings of 0.5-1% of the total CO2 of flight operations per year.
•	Implementing new flight planning systems with advanced route optimization
algorithms.
•	New efficient tools based on artificial intelligence are being implemented,
in partnership with innovative start-ups and universities.
•	More sustainable taxi operations (i.e. electric taxiing).
•	Implementing further weight reduction measures.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

3

Sustainable Aviation
Fuelcertified by the Roundtable on Sustainable

In 2019, SkyNRG announced the construction of

Biomaterials (RSB) or the International

Europe’s first dedicated plant for the production

Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) to theof SAF in Delfzijl in the Netherlands. KLM, as launch

ISCC-EU or ISCC-Plus standard. KLM has been acustomer of the plant, committed to purchasing

Current activities

member of the RSB since 2008, in its capacity as

75,000 tonnes of SAF annually, representing 75%

KLM runs SAF programs for corporate clients,

founding members of the Sustainable Aviation Fuelof the plant’s production capacity. The construction

passengers and cargo clients, which encourages

Users Group. The RSB considers 12 criteria whenof this facility is scheduled to open between

them to purchase SAF for their flight. In 2022, thecertifying SAF, ranging from food security to rural

2026-2028.

corporate program yielded almost 5,500 tonnes ofdevelopment, the quality of air, soil and water

SAF, compared to over 10,000 tonnes for the

resources, and waste management. In 2022 KLM

Stimulating the industry

cargo program. Voluntary SAF additions by private

received its ISCC-EU certification, which allows us

In line with our strategic goal of ‘creating

passengers amounted to almost 500 tonnes ofto blend our own SAF and issue Proof oftechnological advancement’, KLM takes part in

SAF. In addition, we began to add 0.5% of our total

Sustainability documents.

working groups and supports research projects
aimed at the creation of a SAF market. For instance,

kerosene use for flights departing Amsterdam in
SAF in 2022 and doubled that to 1% in 2023,

Innovating in the supply chain

we are an active participant in the Sustainableahead of the EU’s SAF mandate schedule. We also

In 2009, KLM was one of the founders of SkyNRG,

Aviation Roundtable, including the working group on

offer our customers the opportunity to voluntarily

which sources, blends and distributes SAF tosustainable fuels. This roundtable is a collaboration

purchase SAF to reduce the expected CO2

airlines and increases the supply and production

between the Dutch Government, several private

emissions from their flight.

of SAF worldwide. In 2016, KLM began purchasing

parties and knowledge institutes to stimulate the

SAF produced by World Energy in Los Angeles andproduction of SAF in the Netherlands. We are also

Sustainability criteria for SAF

supplied by SkyNRG. KLM has also purchased SAF

part of the Clean Skies for Tomorrow (CST) coalition,

KLM has strict sustainability criteria for the SAF wefrom Neste and partners for flights departing fromwhich was established within the World Economic

use. We require a reduction of at least 75% of CO2

Schiphol, London Heathrow and Arlanda inForum to achieve a worldwide SAF proportion ofemissions over the lifecycle of the fuel compared

Sweden. Recently the Air France-KLM Group,

10% in 203013. Finally, we are a member of the EU

to fossil kerosene, a minimal impact onsigned two major, long-term purchase agreements

Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain

biodiversity, and no competition with food orfor a total of 1.6 million tonnes of SAF with Neste

Industrial Alliance (RLCF) that was set up in April

animal feed production. Also, SAF cannot be

and DG Fuels. The fuel will be delivered between

2022. This focuses on boosting production andsourced from soy or palm oil, as these can

2023 and 2036 and these two deals represent 3%

supply of renewable and low-carbon fuels in thecontribute to deforestation, and needs to beof the 10% KLM wants to blend by 2030 .

aviation and waterborne sectors.

1223

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Potential activities
Our current commitment to blend 10% SAF by 2030 will not allow us to achieve
our SBTi target. Unless we come up with alternative measures, our firstestimates suggest we will need 15-18% SAF in 2030 to reach our SBTi target.
This means KLM needs to explore other ways to reduce emissions or topurchase more SAF. Although the blending mandate, as proposed in ReFuelEU
Aviation as part of the EU Green Deal ‘Fit for 55’ package, will help the market
to mature, we need to push the boundaries of the market to source the SAF
we need. The following actions will be carried out in the coming years.
•	We will continue with strategic partnerships, including limited financial
investments, with suppliers such as DSL-01 and Synkero.
•	We will stimulate demand for and the production of SAF by purchasing
substantial quantities of SAF, improving our position ahead of mandates.
•	We will sign long-term SAF purchase agreements with different supplierswith a diverse mix of technologies, like Alcohol-to-Jet, Gasification with
Fischer-Tropsch and Power-to-Liquid to further develop the SAF supply
chain.
•	We will continue to explore the role we can take as an airline in thedevelopment of a global book and claim system for SAF. This would allow
passengers to purchase SAF for their flight, even if it is not physicallyavailable at their airport. Instead, their SAF would be added to an aircraft at
an airport with a SAF production facility nearby, allowing passengers to still
contribute to CO2 reduction.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

4

Other measures: next steps to 2030

KLM has come a long way in the development of a clear and credible
decarbonization pathway and in the years ahead we will report on the
progress we make. However, there are still aspects of our plan thatneed more work. As mentioned earlier, our fleet renewal plan needs tobe analyzed more fully, some operational measures need to be scaledup, more ways to increase efficiency need to be found and certain
partnerships, which are key to achieving our target, still need to be set
up. Furthermore, all these measures influence one another, meaning theimplementation of our Climate Action Plan is an iterative process that
requires us to constantly adapt to changes.

Non-CO2 climate effects
Whilst CO2 remains the most commonly cited and arguably best-understood
pollutant from aviation, its contribution to global effective radiative forcing(ERF) (i.e. global warming) is estimated to be just one third of the industry’s
total impact. Two thirds of aviation’s climate impact is caused by otherpollutants from jet engines14. For example, particulate matter has been linked
to the formation of condensation trails, also known as contrails. These cloudlike stripes that form behind an aircraft last from a few minutes to a day, but
can have strong climate effects. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from aircraft
engines at altitude contribute to the formation of ozone but at the same time
also the destruction of methane (both GHG) such that the overall effect isestimated to be warming although this is dependent on background surface
air pollution levels.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Overall, there is consensus on the existence of these non-CO2 climate effects

Having said that, there are several operational and technical measures that

although uncertainties remain about the nature and magnitude of their impact.

have already proven to be effective in reducing contrails formation. In the first

Therefore, one must be careful with actions that can limit non-CO2 climate

quarter of 2023, for example, we began a pilot project with SATAVIA, whose

effects as they may have an opposite effect. Furthermore, actions to reduce

software enables aircraft operators to forecast, prevent and quantify the

non-CO2 climate effects remain untested, limiting the ability for individual

warming effects caused by contrails, by adjusting flight paths to avoid ice

companies to both measure their impact and take action. As a result, the SBTi

supersaturated regions (ISSR). KLM is also looking at the kerosene it uses, as

pathway developed for KLM (and other airlines) only covers CO2 emissions andboth SAF and hydro treated Jet A-1 fuel result in reduced amounts of non-other Kyoto GHGs. However, as the largest part of aviation’s total climate

volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM), with scientific evidence suggesting the ERF

impact comes from non-CO2 emissions, KLM is actively working with solutionof contrails formed by both of these fuel types is lower than for conventional

providers to deepen the knowledge on non-CO2 climate effects and identify

Jet A-1 fuel15. Further enhancing the share of SAF in our fuel mix should

the most effective countermeasures.

reduce our non-CO2 climate effects.

Jet Engine Combustion

Air: Nitrogen (N2) + Oxygen (O2)

Exhaust Plumes
No contrail formation

Kerosene fuel:Carbon (Cn),Hydrogen (Hx),
Sulfur, Aromatics

Source: Elsevier

Contrail formation in low-temperature
ice-supersaturated air

Plume Composition
Gases

Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Nitrogen oxides (NOx)
Carbon monoxide (CO)Water vapor (H2O)
Sulfur compounds
Unburned Hydrocarbons (HC)Aerosol Particles

Cloud condensation nuclei
Ice nuclei
Contrail ice
Others26

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Ground energy consumption

equipment now uses synthetic bio-diesel HVO100. This is 100% hydro treated

At Schiphol, our aircraft are supported by a range of ground equipment,

this fuel, 98% less CO2-e (tank-to-wake) is emitted from our ground equipment.

such as de-icers, ground power units, conveyor belts, passenger buses

The support of the Dutch Government and the EU Horizon 2020 project

and towing tractors. This equipment currently uses fuel. In addition,

TULIPS for the realization of green airports, can further accelerate thisKLM uses gas and electricity for building operations and electricity fordevelopment.

vegetable oil and is a renewable fuel that can be used in diesel engines. Using

aircraft maintenance and tertiary activities. All of these ground
operations generate direct and indirect GHG emissions (Scope 1 andIn partnership with the industry, KLM wants to embrace sustainable taxiing at

Scope 2), although this is less than 1% of our total Scope 1 and 2

Schiphol. This is not just for the sake of fuel and emissions reduction, but also

emissions.

to reduce the emission of NOx and Ultra Fine Particulates (UFPs). This improves
the health of our employees and people living in the wider Schiphol area.

Targets

To this end, relevant protocols have been established and Schiphol has

In 2019, KLM set a target of net-zero carbon emissions for all groundpurchased two hybrid 'taxibots' to use for aircraft pushback, taxiing, andoperations by 2030. In 2019, KLM took a major step towards this ambition by

towing. KLM is eager to conduct more tests on the taxibots to see how theyswitching to green electricity. This initiative resulted in a CO2-e reduction of

can be used further in day-to-day operations.

50% from ground operations compared to 2018.

The way forward
2020 was the last year of KLM’s third multi-year energy efficiency agreementwith the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, aimed at increasing energy
efficiency by at least 2% a year. To comply with the Energy Efficiency Directivethat replaces this agreement from January 1, 2021, KLM has obtained ISO
50001 certification for controlling the realization of energy efficiency
improvements.
Electrification of ground support equipment is a major step towards reducing
the impact of our ground operations. KLM is trialing electric alternatives to the
traditional ground power units, push back trucks and towing equipment, ofwhich 63% has already been electrified. In addition, all non-electric ground

Electric PCA's (airco-units)

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Value chain

KLM CARBON FOOTPRINT 2019 BASELINE (FY2019)

At KLM, we are committed to reducing our GHG emissions, both from ourown operations (Scope 1 and 2) as well as indirect ones associatedwith our value chain (Scope 3), in categories like purchased goods andservices, waste processing, and business travel. In 2022, KLM finalized
its first comprehensive screening of Scope 3 emissions for the 2019base year. All relevant categories of Scope 3 emissions were assessedusing methodologies consistent with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol(GHGP), Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and ReportingStandard and with reference to the additional guidance provided in
the GHG Protocol Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions.16

92%

OF OUR TOTALCARBONFOOTPRINT ISFROM JET FUEL

This screening provides a first indication of the magnitude of our Scope 3
emissions and identifies the most critical emission categories. The results of
the Scope 3 screening indicate that around 27% of our total carbon footprint
is in our value chain, which is consistent with the aviation sector as a whole.
The main contribution to our Scope 3 emissions is jet fuel (70%), withpurchased goods and services (including capital goods) accounting for

16,530 Kt CO2-e

around 20%. The remaining 10% of Scope 3 emissions are distributed acrossthe remaining emission categories.

Targets

Scope 1 (73%)

Scope 3 (27% - estimate)

Our SBTi target only covers Scope 1 and 3 of jet fuel emissions. In the coming

99% from jet fuel70% from jet fuelScope 2 (0.2%)

20% from purchased goods
and services (including
capital goods)

year, an overall Scope 3 target will be defined and published in our next
Climate Action Plan.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

The way forward
Besides our own commitment to achieving moresustainable aviation together, there is a need forincreasing transparency and action towards GHG
reduction. The exercise of establishing a Scope 3
accounting and reporting framework, underpinnedby the key GHG emissions reporting principles,raises awareness within KLM about the need tofocus on Scope 3.
Policy and Planning
The Scope 3 screening is a first step towards
understanding our full impact in our value chain.
In the coming years, we will develop a Scope 3
inventory applying the principles of completeness,consistency, transparency and accuracy. We havecompleted a Scope 3 inventory within KLM Inflight
Services with plans to upscale to the other KLM
business units in the coming years. In addition,
we will engage with our highest emitting suppliers
through the CDP Supplier Assessment, Climate
Module, to make our target suppliers aware,encourage them to adopt a SBTi-validated targetof their own and gather insights on their carbon
strategy and performance.
The results of these activities help define our KPIs
on Scope 3 and set the agenda for programs andsourcing strategies to reduce our Scope 3 impact.

29

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Examples of what are we doingon Scope 3
Sustainable travel
KLM is encouraging its employees to make their commute more sustainablethrough the development of a sustainable business travel and commuting
program. In the first half of 2023, KLM will formulate goals and measures toreduce GHG emissions associated with staff commuting. KLM has alreadytaken the first steps by introducing a work-from-home policy and starting
the electrification of the car fleet used by employees.

Examples of how we engage with our suppliers• Sustainable Trucking
Air France KLM Martinair Cargo and Jan de Rijk Logistics have joined forces
to take the new Long Heavy Vehicle (LHV) into operation. This completely
new truck combination will run on HVO10017.
• Sustainable Catering
KLM IFS has begun to serve more planted-based meals on board. In October
2022, we introduced a hybrid meatball as an option. The percentage of beefhas been reduced to 50% and the other 50% is a mix of seaweed andvegetables. The GHG emissions of this product is reduced by 49%, whilewater and land use are reduced by 51% and 49% respectively.
• Uniforms
In the selection of a new supplier for work clothing and uniforms, carbon
emissions and waste reduction were important criteria, including the re-use
and recycling of materials, lengthening of the uniforms’ life cycle andemission-free transport within the Netherlands.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

To measure is to know
KLM is undertaking the challenging task of measuring its Scope 3 emissions in a bid to meet its reduction
target for 2030. Claire Luiten, CSR and Process Engineer with KLM Inflight Services, explains what is being
done to measure the emissions of everything that happens on board and to decide on better alternatives.
The 19th-century British scientist Lord Kelvin, after whom the Kelvin scale of temperature was named, is quoted as saying that ‘to measure is to know’.
This adage now applies to KLM as it steers towards its ambitious target of 30% lower CO2 emissions per revenue tonne Kilometer (RTK) in 2030
compared to 2019. In 2022, this target was validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which aligns it with climate science and the Paris
Agreement goal of keeping global warming well below two degrees Celsius.
As part of the SBTi validation process, KLM measured its Scope 3 emissions, these account for around 30% of its total
greenhouse gas inventory. Scope 3 emissions are calculated across 15 different categories; the most relevant to KLM
include i) energy, ii) purchase and transportation of goods and iii) business travel - for example when crew stay at a
hotel at their intercontinental destinations.

Reliable inventory“To estimate emissions we initially made a high-level screening using spend-based methods, which takes the cost ofsomething and multiplies it by a factor - the amount of emissions produced per financial unit. But this is not the mostaccurate method and we followed up with a pilot project in IFS to see how we could make a more reliable inventory.”
An external consultancy is making the inventory this time around, but Claire explains KLM wants to master the expertiseon Scope 3 so that it can conduct such measurements by itself in the rest of the organization. “This will be quite achallenge, because a different business may require a different approach. Seven of the 15 emission categories are relevant to IFS, but in another part ofthe business, say Engineering and Maintenance, different categories will apply, meaning we need to measure other things in other ways.”31

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Measure, report and steer
While this approach to measuring Scope 3 is costly and laborious, it serves two important goals according to Claire. “In 2024, the EU’s Corporate
Sustainability Reporting Directive will come into effect, mandating companies to report on and audit the impact of their activities on the environment andsociety. But we are also doing it because KLM wants to steer towards its 2030 target and make decisions and investments that have meaningful impact.”
At IFS, people have been working hard to do exactly that. “We look for lighter materials, and ways to reduce and recycle waste. For example, we worked
with a supplier to develop a trolley that saves 400 kilograms on intercontinental flights and we replaced 50% of the meat in our meatballs with seaweed,
which saves 3,500 tonnes of CO2 per year.”

Decarbonize catering
Imagine the kind of work involved in replacing meat with seaweed, such as working with caterers, testing recipes and possibly dealing with a bunchof red tape. Now consider that in 2022 KLM flew 25.8 million people to 167 destinations and you will realize it is not easy to decarbonize KLM’scatering. “On European flights, KLM sources meals for the outbound and return journey from Amsterdam, so it will be relatively easy to get data andmeasure results. But for the return flight of our 60 to 70 intercontinental destinations, we need to deal with dozens of local caters and catering
regulations. This is much harder.”Luckily, Claire and her colleagues have other tools at their disposal to help KLM achieve its target. One is a life cycle assessment tool developed by
TNO, a renowned Dutch applied research organization, which calculates the environmental impact of products and packaging across its entire life
cycle, and the shadow price - the cost associated with the environmental impact of these materials. Claire is also working on a project run by KLM’s
Procurement Department, which is working with the CDP to assess KLM’s top 100 suppliers. “Our goal is to encourage them to disclose their CO2
emissions and hopefully steer them to set their own SBTi target. I know we will get there in time.”

32

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Outlook towards
2050

working with original equipment manufacturers
and start-ups to understand the latest
technological developments and their operational
implications. If we come across an aircraft with aCommitting to a near-term, validated target issmall seating capacity and sustainable propulsion

important to us. We need to focus on reducing

technology (such as electricity), we might consider

our negative impact now, as this is theoperating it to learn how to use it, even though

decade of action. We also recognize the needinitially it will have a small impact on our total

for longer-term targets, in line with the Pariscarbon footprint.

Agreement. In 2022, the International Air
Transport Association (IATA) announced its

From 2035 onwards, it is expected that the firstcommitment to be net-zero in 2050, while thezero-emission aircraft with a capacity of around

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

75 seats could become available, allowing us tohas agreed to a long-term aspirational goal instart replacing our current smallest regionalline with a 1.5˚C pathway. KLM supports theseaircraft. By 2040, some single-aisle aircraft could

initiatives and is committed to net zero as

also be replaced with a zero-emission alternative.

well. However, we are convinced that a

For twin-aisle aircraft, the first more sustainablecommitment to a self-proclaimed net zeroversions, which will probably not be 100% zero-target is not enough and that without

emission, are expected to come to market fromintermediate goals a net zero pledge is merely2043.

a point in time. Therefore, we are exploring
the net zero pathway of the SBTi, to have ourown validated goal for 2050. In the meantime,
we are working on several initiatives to shape
our outlook towards 2050, including:Technological developments
Our vision for the future of air mobility looks at
the timeframe up to 2030 and beyond. We are33

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

VISION FUTURE AIR MOBILITY & TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY
Type

#Pax

Range

Energy source

Expected

E VTOL

2-10 Pax

Short

Battery-Electric / Fuel cell / Hybrid-Electric2025-2030

Commuter

9-19 Pax

Short

Battery-Electric / Fuel cell / Hybrid-Electric2025 - 2030

Regional

20-100 Pax

Battery-Electric / Fuel cell / Hybrid-Electric2028 – 2035

Single aisle

100-250 Pax

MediumHybrid H2 turbine / H2 turbine / Hybrid2035 – 2040

Twin aisle

250+ PaxLong

New designs / H2 turbine / Hybrid

2040 - 2045

Short
Medium34

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Vision and courage: thepath to zero emission flight

Optimism and realism
Jolanda Stevens, Program Manager Zero Emission Aviation at KLM,
exudes optimism and realism as she talks about the path ahead. “I havepiloted aircraft for 25 years and I love the freedom and opportunities of

KLM has tasked one of its former pilots to lay thegroundwork for the company’s zero emission
aviation. Here, she tells the story of the challenges
and innovations that will shape the future of flying.

flying. But I also know that we cannot continue to fly the way we do,that we have a responsibility to ourselves and the planet. My colleagues
feel the same and there is a genuine drive at KLM to actively shape thefuture of aviation.”
Enthusiastic about new technologies, various people across KLM have

It’s been 130 years since the brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the

been reaching out to starts-ups, manufacturers and researchers aboutfirst motor-operated airplane. Those 12 magical seconds captured thenovel forms of propulsion. However, they have been working in isolationworld’s imagination and sparked what is today a global industry and key

without an overall direction or strategy. In 2022, Jolanda was given a

to how people live and work. As valuable as that is, airlines are under

mandate by the Board of Directors to unify these efforts and to work

intense pressure to reduce their carbon emissions, which they havetowards the ultimate goal of operating the first commercial zero-

been doing by investing in more efficient engines and Sustainableemission network.

Aviation Fuel. These measures are still subject to emissions like CO2 andNOx, and the search is on for a zero-emission alternative such as

This is quite ambitious considering the state of things. Two-seater

battery-electricity or hydrogen.

electric aircraft with a small range exist for teaching purposes, butcurrent batteries are too heavy to replace kerosene on jets thattransport hundreds of people and tonnes of cargo across thousands ofkilometers. The hydrogen engine, meanwhile, is in the early phases ofdevelopment and the infrastructure to manufacture and transporthydrogen in the quantities needed for regional or intercontinental flight,
does not yet exist.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Undeterred

Room for experimentation

Jolanda, however, is undeterred and points to how

The switch to electric or hydrogen, however, is not

the car industry first built hybrid engines that added

just about technology and economics, it also involves

electric capability to a traditional combustion engine

regulators. Flying is governed by a complex body of

before moving to the fully electric vehicles flooding

standards and regulations designed to ensure safety,

the roads today. “Over the next few years, a type ofbut these new technologies haven’t been certified

hybrid aircraft will enter the market that combines

yet. “While safety remains of paramount importance,

batteries with traditional kerosene or SAF. As thewe should avoid stifling innovation. Regulators willbatteries evolve, these aircraft will be upgraded andneed to provide room for testing and experimentation,

will eventually use less kerosene. Hydrogen engines

for example by allowing the use of digital twins, inwill take more time but could be possible after 2030.”

which case a computer simulation generates safety

The first fully electric commercial aircraft will probably

data.”

seat up to 20 people and have a range of 300

The role of the regulator points to a broader truth: thekilometers, while the first hybrid ones will probablytransition to zero emission aviation can only succeed

carry around 40 people and may reach as far asif the entire value chain works together. “KLM is

1,000 kilometers. This creates some interesting challenges for global

working with several parties in the Dutch aviation ecosystem, such as

airlines such as KLM, which uses Embraers with a capacity of 80-100

the Delft University of Technology and the Netherlands Aerospacepeople on European flights and much larger Boeings and Airbusses on

Centre. We are working with the Electric Flight Collective and areintercontinental routes.

supporting parties in the interest of hydrogen technology. All of us havea long way to go, but we will get there. All it takes is the vision and“KLM won’t be able to retrofit its existing fleet, so, if we are serious

courage of the Wright brothers.”

about commercially operating these new aircraft, we will need to havean open mind towards new business models and new network
possibilities. We are also looking at how this will effect engineering andmaintenance, our day-to-day operations and the training of pilots.”36

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

The need for SAF up to 2050
We have already shared how we currently use SAF and how we plan toincrease the use of SAF to reach our 2030 SBTi targets. However, we will
be needing SAF well beyond 2030. Some 6% of European flights are
long-haul (> 4,000 kilometers), but these flights are responsible for 52%
of the CO2 emissions from aviation18. The previous section showed thatalternative propulsion technologies for the long-haul like electric orhydrogen are not likely to reach the market before 2045, which means
we will probably be relying on SAF to make these long-haul flights moresustainable for a while.
The Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) conducted a study into theavailability of SAF in the Netherlands19. This study shows that the amount of
SAF being produced until 2050 from the bio-based feedstock in the
Netherlands can only meet a fraction of the anticipated demand. If feedstockis imported from other European countries and all feedstock is allocated toaviation, it might be possible to meet demand, but this is unrealistic. Thismeans we need to shift from using bio-based SAF to sustainable synthetic
kerosene, also known as e-SAF or Power-to-Liquid. This can be made from
captured carbon (either from a point source, or from ambient air) and greenhydrogen that is produced using renewable electricity. The supply of this typeof SAF is potentially unconstrained, although it depends heavily on theamount of excess renewable electricity allocated to the aviation sector.

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Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Other climate contributions

Carbon pricing is a market-based policy instrument that creates a financial

Offsetting and market-based measuresthe external costs of CO2. EU ETS and CORSIA are such instruments that affect

KLM offers our individual and corporate customers the opportunity to reduce

KLM in Europe and globally respectively. For the implementation of CORSIA,or (partially) offset the CO2 emissions from their flight on a voluntary basis, by

the Air France–KLM Group contributed to the calculation of the CO2 emission

purchasing additional SAF or carbon credits via our CO2 Impact Programme.

baseline of January 1, 2019.

incentive for polluters to reduce emissions by making emitters responsible for

We have made our CO2 emission calculator available to customers on our
website and in our booking flow. This calculator shows the CO2 emissions ofThese MBMs and the carbon offsets purchased by our customers werea trip, taking into account distance, cabin class and load factor on our routes.

counted towards KLM’s CO2 reductions under our previous targets.

The customer contributions towards carbon credits are invested directly in

However, according to the SBTi sector guidelines, these mechanisms cannot

one of three reforestation projects in Panama, Uganda or Colombia.

be counted towards our CO2 reductions.

All projects are reforestation-based, meaning deforested areas are replanted
to restore forests destroyed in the recent past. As these trees grow theyInternal CO2 pricing

remove and store CO2 from the atmosphere. All our projects are certified byAnother mechanism recently implemented to reach our 2030 targets is internal

the Gold Standard for the Global Goals label. This certification aims to maximize

carbon pricing. This sets an internal price on carbon use, so that CO2 emissions

both climate and development impacts and measures and reports outcomesare explicitly considered in financial decisions. This promotes investments inin the most credible way . In 2022, the journeys booked along with CO2

low-carbon technologies and can help prepare institutions to operate undercompensation represented the purchase of 64,000 tonnes of carbon credits.

future climate policies and regulations21. At the start of 2022, KLM implemented20

its own internal CO2 price, which was initially set at €60 per tonne CO2 and has
Although CO2 compensation does not affect our (direct) emissions, and does

been updated to €80 per tonne CO2 as of 2023. The CO2 price will be evaluated

not contribute to reaching our SBTi target, it does offer customers theeach year as CO2 market prices develop. The internal carbon price is currently

possibility to contribute to carbon sequestration as well as the restoration of

only used for fleet and fleet-related investment decisions. The effectivenessbiodiversity and ecosystems. We are fully aware that CO2 compensation alone

and use of the internal carbon price will be evaluated this year before deciding

will not solve the climate crisis and that it should not be seen as an excuse towhether or not to expand the eligible set of investment decisions.

stick to business as usual. We are therefore offering our customers this option
on a voluntary basis whilst we simultaneously invest in our own emissions

The Sustainable Flight Challenge

reduction through a range of measures such as fleet renewal and increasing

For KLM to become the frontrunner it has envisioned, we need our leaders

operational efficiency.

and employees to be engaged. In recent years, we have seen how our people
have become personally invested in our renewed purpose and strategy.

38

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

One recent example of this is the Sustainable Flight Challenge; a friendly

amount of CO2 it emits. The trial highlighted a number of issues KLM andrace between airlines to see who could run the most sustainable flight.

Thalys need to work on before KLM can fully replace all flights to and from

The brainchild of a group of KLM employees called Bold Moves, who, in a

Brussels with train capacity. For instance, many KLM customers said the Thalys

quest for ambitious ways to make flying more sustainable, drew inspiration

service was not explained well enough, while others experienced a lack offrom the 1934 Greatest Air Race from London to Melbourne. During this race,

assistance with their luggage at the train station. Nonetheless, KLM has

flight pioneers proved long-distance commercial aviation was possible.

extended the program by purchasing seats on four more Thalys trains in both
direction and will address these issues with the help of partners. Before the

KLM approached SkyTeam, the global alliance of airlines of which it is apandemic, almost 25% of the passengers (some 36,000 customers) on themember, which agreed to organize the event. Sixteen airlines entered theAmsterdam to Brussels flight chose this more sustainable option.

challenge, including KLM and KLM Cityhopper, and their outcomes andinnovations will be made available to the public, helping the industry makeIn a joint effort to reduce CO2 emissions, the Dutch government and Dutch

air travel eco-friendlier.

transport companies started to promote air-rail projects and partnerships.
Since early 2023, KLM has been offering its customers the option to combine

The competition was held in May 2022, and KLM was able to reduce its

their air tickets with train tickets (in addition to the car rental and taxi service

CO2 /RTK by approximately 37% compared to its other flights that fly the samealready proposed) from Schiphol to Amsterdam Central Station. Thisroute. This was done by combining different measures: with the help of Neste,

partnership with NS, the Dutch national rail company, aims to encourage

KLM performed its flight with a SAF blend of 39%, while Air Traffic Management

foreign travelers to use rail transport and facilitate the overall process, as(ATM) calculated the most efficient route. KLM Cargo achieved a 2,000 kilogram

customers can plan their journey in one place.

weight reduction, while ground operations used electric push back and otherelectric ground equipment. KLM aims to implement all successful and scalable

Influencing the industry

initiatives tested during The Sustainable Flight Challenge and will set the bar

KLM is fully committed to the decarbonization of air travel and believes thathigher for future challenges.

a unified global and European policy is key to this. At a European level,
KLM works together with various stakeholders to advocate for its own andMulti modalities

the industry’s interests with regards to legislation on sustainability. At the

In July 2022, in the context of the Dutch Government’s Action Plan for Railnational level, KLM is exploring intermodal solutions and further investment

and Air Service (Dutch: ‘Actieagenda Trein en Luchtvaart’), KLM and Thalys

prospects, while opposing measures that negatively affect the level playing

launched their trial for the Amsterdam-Brussels transfer passengers.

field within Europe and the rest of the world.

This initiative allows KLM to operate one less flight between Amsterdam andBrussels every day, thus contributing to KLM’s strategy of reducing the39

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

International

European lobby efforts

In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted, which agreed to limit global

KLM fully supports the EU climate goals and the EU Green Deal Fit for 55

warming to well below 2°C while aiming to limit the increase to 1.5°C.

proposals that help the aviation industry to decarbonize. However, we want

However, because the international nature of aviation, it falls (like shipping)to make sure that a level playing field is maintained to prevent the risk ofoutside of the scope of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), meaning

competitive distortion and carbon leakage, which does not help reduce

the supervision of decarbonization is entrusted to the International Civil

emissions, but merely shifts them elsewhere.

Aviation Organisation (ICAO), a United Nations agency. The aviation industry
is the first economic sector to have set ambitious long-term reduction targets

Since its publication in July 2021, KLM focuses on a number of key files in theand to have adopted a worldwide carbon offsetting system (CORSIA) within

Fit for 55 package. The first one is the RefuelEU Aviation proposal, which aims

the framework of the ICAO to guarantee carbon-neutral growth for global air

to introduce an EU-wide blending obligation for SAF starting from 2025.

transportation from the 2020 baseline. At the 2022 ICAO Assembly, it was

Moreover, we are involved in the discussions regarding the strengthening

agreed that for the pilot phase (2021-2023), 2019 emissions would be usedof the EU ETS, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and theas the CORSIA baseline, and in relation to the first and second CORSIA

discussions on the revision of the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD) that may

implementation phases (2024-2035), 85% of 2019 emissions would be used as

lift the exemption for taxing kerosene.

the CORSIA baseline.22 In other words, 2020 emissions are not referenced andwill be excluded from baseline calculations. Additionally, it was agreed thatIn these discussions, we lobby to ensure a swift scale-up of SAF production

the percentage of an operator’s growth factors would be revised – with ancapacity in Europe to ensure that SAF becomes more available and affordable.

increased focus on sectoral rather than an individual operator’s growth

The positive climate impact remains the same, while we help to limit carbon

factors.

leakage. In fact, when SAF becomes more affordable, we expect to see more
uptake of SAF in Europe, also beyond the EU mandate, offering an even more

The Assembly also adopted a long-term global aspirational goal for

positive climate effect. We have also worked to ensure that the feedstock tointernational aviation of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 in support of the

produce SAF is truly sustainable and does not compete with food and feed

Paris Agreement's temperature goal. KLM fully supports this. The goal does notproduction, lobbying for example to have intermediate crops and palm fatty

attribute specific obligations or commitments to individual states, but insteadacid distillate removed from the list of accepted feedstock.

recognizes that each state will contribute to achieving the goal in a socially,
economically and environmentally sustainable manner and in accordance with

Moreover, KLM is encouraging the European Commission to explore theits national circumstances.23

possibilities for the safe recycling and reuse of Category 1 international
catering waste coming in from outside of Europe. Catering waste from intra-EU
flights is recycled and reused efficiently, while EU legislation obliges airlines to40

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

incinerate catering waste coming from outside the EU to avoid the risk of
spreading animal diseases. Although KLM supports the prevention of animal
diseases spreading, we wish to explore if we can do more with ourinternational catering waste.

National lobby efforts
KLM is committed to substituting air connections up to 700 kilometer from its
Amsterdam hub with train connections as part of its goal to reduce its CO2
footprint. To facilitate this, KLM has lobbied in The Hague for public
investments in luggage cabins in high-speed international trains andinfrastructural investments at Schiphol. Additionally, KLM has advocated with
Schiphol, NS and ProRail to exclude air-rail transfer passengers from thenational ticket tax. This is to promote sustainable travel and remove thediscrepancy between regular and air-rail transfer passengers.
Investments are crucial for the green transition in the aviation sector.
KLM is investing billions of euros in sustainability through fleet renewal,
the construction of a SAF factory, and electrification of ground equipment.
KLM has asked to allocate parts of the national flight tax to sustainable
investments in the aviation sector to spur investments in green aviation.
Moreover, KLM believes in alternatives for the Dutch Government's plans to
reduce flight movements at Schiphol to reduce noise impact. We believe there
are better ways to achieve the same goal than cutting capacity. This reduction
would limit KLM's capacity to invest in our transition to a more sustainable
airline. If implemented, the majority of flight movements will be moved toneighboring countries.

41

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Working with the EU
to make flying moresustainable
KLM is pro-actively contributing to help shape
EU legislation that will encourage the aviation
sector to become more sustainable, even if itmeans higher costs and accelerating investments.
Jeroen Hardenbol, Director European Affairs,
explains what is driving this new approach.

This changed with the incoming European Commission in 2019 andthe appointment of Ursula von der Leyen as its President and Frans
Timmermans as its Executive Vice President; together they rightly put
sustainability at the heart of the EU’s vision and strategy. The EU
presented its Green Deal in 2019, which aims to make the continent
carbon neutral by 2050, and Fit for 55, which aims to cut CO2 emissions
by 55% in 2030 compared to 2019.

Pioneering steps
By then, KLM had already been taking pioneering steps in the area ofsustainability, such as accelerating investments in a more fuel-efficient
fleet and investing in a SAF factory in Delfzijl. This was done in part
because of growing social and political pressure, but mostly out of an
intrinsic sense of responsibility. But rather than just focusing on itself,
KLM felt the need to take a leading role in the airline industry andJeroen has roamed the corridors of power in Brussels for nearly fourteen

encourage competitors, manufacturers, airports and other stakeholders

years, of which five for KLM, and has witnessed the ascent of

to do more.

sustainability to the top of the political agenda. “A few years ago, ourdiscussions with politicians tended to focus on issues like passenger

In 2018, KLM became the lead author of "Smart and Sustainable",rights, fair competition and Brexit. We already had the Emissions Trading

an action plan by the Dutch aviation industry to achieve emission

System, the EU’s carbon market that has applied to aviation since 2012,

reductions through innovations like new SAF pathways, novel

and CORSIA, a carbon offsetting scheme of the International Civil Aviation

propulsion systems and air-rail combinations. “KLM also felt that there

Organization, but even with that sustainability was not yet fully at theshould be a similar plan on a wider, European level and we pushed forcenter of discussions in Brussels.”the European aviation industry to make a decarbonization roadmap
of its own called Destination 2050.

42

Looking back | Mapping our emissions | Flight operations | Ground energy consumption | Value chain | Outlook towards 2050 | Other climate contributions

Partnering with NGOs

More ambitious

Destination 2050 helped the EU and the aviation industry to work better

KLM has also been working behind the scenes to make CORSIA more

together and inspired the Fit for 55 package. "We fully support ReFuelEU,

ambitious. CORSIA mandates carbon offsets for the growth ofwhich mandates the blending of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, whichintercontinental flights compared to 2019, but this happened to be thegenerate up to 85% less CO2 than regular kerosene. We worked withindustry’s best year ever and airlines still haven’t fully recovered frompoliticians in Brussels to set realistic blending targets and discuss how

the pandemic. “This would mean less offsets than previously imagined

to best scale up SAF production in Europe.”

and we felt this wasn’t enough. We lobbied to make the CORSIA baseline

Also, for the first time ever, KLM partnered with an environmental NGO
called Transport & Environment to actively lobby the EU to ensure thatSAF is produced from truly sustainable feedstock. "We don’t always
agree with NGOs, but if interests align, we are more than willing to teamup. Together, we convinced policy-makers that SAF could not be derived
from palm oil residue or intermediate crops because this is detrimental tothe environment and people’s food security.”

more ambitious and managed to have ICAO agree to change thebenchmark to 85% of the 2019 level, making this global scheme costlier,but also more ambitious and impactful than before." Another example isthe push for the inclusion of preconditioned air (PCA) in EU legislation,these yellow tubes at airports provide electric cooling and heating of
the aircraft when parked at the gate, instead of running the engine.
The deployment is costly, but leads to less emissions.
Jeroen acknowledges that a few years ago KLM and the industry would

KLM has been lobbying for other changes as well. While catering waste

not have actively pushed for such measures. “We have changed fromgenerated on board aircraft flying within the EU can be recycled inbeing a constructive discussion partner to taking a leading role infourteen different waste streams, waste coming from outside the EU

Europe for more ambitious climate policy. I am very proud of that.

must be incinerated by EU law to prevent animal-borne diseases.

We have really put sustainability at the heart of our strategy and are“While it is cheaper to burn everything, we are against it because it isdoing everything we can to fulfill our promises. Now, we also want thebetter for the environment to recycle. So, with a number of partner

industry as a whole to speed up its decarbonization and competitors

airlines and catering associations, we have been lobbying the EU toespecially outside of the EU to follow suit.”

replace this flat-out ban to recycle with a more risk-based approach.
If proven to be safe, we could finally recycle PET bottles, juice containers
or carton coffee cups from specific countries outside the EU.”

43

Introduction
KLM’s climate strategy
Looking back: what have we done so far?
Mapping our emissions
Flight operations
Ground energy consumption
Value chain
Outlook towards 2050
Other climate contributionsOur broader sustainability impact
List of abbreviations
Footnotes

44

Our broader
sustainability
impactIn 2020, KLM took part in the Minder Hinder (Dutch for ‘less hindrance’)
program with Schiphol and Air Traffic Control the Netherlands to reduce noisehindrance and improve the quality of the local environment. KLM is committed
to contributing to a 2% annual reduction in serious disruption around Schiphol
airport.
Fine particles (PM2.5) and ultra-fine particles (PM0.1)
KLM is working with Schiphol airport to reduce the emission of particulatematter in order to improve the air quality for employees and people living in
the Schiphol area. Key to this are investments in a new fleet, operational
measures such as taxiing with a single engine, an emission-free ground

Besides our CO2 reduction ambitions, KLM is also actively engaged

operation, and the use of SAF. For our ground operations, KLM aims to operatein enhancing other areas of sustainability.

completely emission-free by 2030. We do this by further rolling out electricvehicles (currently 63% of KLM ground equipment is already electrified),Noise

by using energy more efficiently and by switching to renewable energy where

Fleet modernization and improved operational procedures are the two pillars

possible. KLM is also actively involved in national and international researchof KLM’s noise reduction strategy. All the aircrafts in the KLM fleet meet the

projects that contribute to air quality and sustainable aviation.

criteria established by the ICAO Chapter 4 Noise Standard, the most exacting
standard covering the acoustic quality of civil aircraft. Fleet renewal enabled

Nitrogena 67% reduction in KLM noise footprint between 2000 and 2020, while theAviation is responsible for somewhere between 0.7% to 1.1% of total nitrogen

number of aircraft movements increased by 46% over the same period.

emissions and approximately 0.1% of the joint deposition of NOx and NH3.
Although the contribution of aviation is very small, aviation will continue toSpecific operational solutions are also sought to reduce the noise emissions

make its contribution to reducing nitrogen emissions and deposition. In recent

from aircraft. Whenever possible, KLM implements continuous descent, which

years, much has been done in the aviation sector to reduce nitrogensignificantly reduces noise pollution. Furthermore, the Single European Sky

emissions, such as fleet replacement, the use of electric ground vehicles at

ATM Research (SESAR) program aims to improve the management of noise andairports, operational measures such as taxiing with one engine and less use

its impact through precision landing procedures using satellite navigation andof auxiliary power units. KLM will continue with these measures to reduce

optimized flight paths, including optimized climb and descent operations.

nitrogen. Changes in flight procedures, such as glide flights, have also reduced45

fuel consumption and thus nitrogen emissions. KLM will continue with thesewith Dutch research institute TNO to support decision making for moremeasures and is working with knowledge institutions to identify other options

sustainable packaging and to find alternatives to SUP items. Inflight Services

for reducing nitrogen emissions.

introduced fully reusable food containers for the new Premium Comfort class,which are returned to the supplier and used again on a next flight.

Waste and circular economy
KLM’s operations generate roughly 15,500 tons of waste annually at its

Ground Services concluded a pilot with PreZero (waste processor at Schiphol),

Schiphol hub. Most waste is catering waste (±65%), waste from on-board

Klüh and Asito (cleaning companies) to increase recycling; several bottlenecks

cleaning (±10%) and waste derived from processes at Engineering &were identified that need to be addressed before KLM can decrease its

Maintenance (E&M) and Cargo (both ±12.5%). Most non-separated waste

cleaning waste. However, the efforts have had direct effect on subsidiaryconcerns catering and cleaning waste. Waste at E&M and Cargo is mostly

Transavia, which was able to decrease its onboard waste by 50%.

separated and recycled (68% and 87% respectively). Most non-separated
waste concerns catering (of which only 17% was recycled) and on-board

E&M works with suppliers, local companies and knowledge institutes to findcleaning and sanitary waste (only 3% recycled), as EU regulation does not

new repair opportunities. In 2022, for example, an alternative repair for bi-foldallow the recycling of waste coming from outside Europe.

tables was developed together with a local Dutch company. This has saved
500 tables thus far from being completely scrapped, instead, only the

KLM has set a target to reduce non-hazardous, non-separated waste by 50%

damaged parts of the tables are replaced.

in 2030 compared to 2011. In 2019 a reduction of 19% was achieved.
Unfortunately, due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, 2019 remains

At Cargo the cardboard beams that were tested last year as a lighter

the most recent reference year for waste processing performance. All divisions

alternative to wooden beams used for the build-up of freight, have been

where the above-mentioned waste originates have drafted plans to reduce

accepted. This innovation has been shown to be a gateway project for othernon-separated waste and increase recycling. For Inflight Services and KLM

initiatives in material substitution. For example, Cargo is testing circular plastics

Catering Services reducing waste is priority. As mentioned above, EU legislationand other (more) circular packaging opportunities.

(Regulation 1069/2009) hampers circular practices significantly.
Regardless of these legislative challenges, opportunities remain to improve
waste processing at KLM Catering Services from our European operations,especially for organic waste. KLM Catering Services had introduced anaerobic
digestion for unconsumed sandwiches and coffee grounds. Also, at Inflight
Services a Life Cycle Assessment tool was developed and adopted together

46Introduction
KLM’s climate strategy
Looking back: what have we done so far?
Mapping our emissions
Flight operations
Ground energy consumption
Value chain
Outlook towards 2050
Other climate contributionsOur broader sustainability impact

List of abbreviations
Footnotes

47

List of abbreviations
APU

Auxiliary Power Units

ISSR

Ice supersaturated regions

ATM

Air Traffic ManagementKCS

KLM Catering Services

CAGR

Compound Annual Growth Rate

LHVLong Heavy Vehicle

DARP

Dutch Airspace Redesign Program

MBM

Market-based measuresCBAM

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

NDC

Nationally Determined Contribution

CDP

Carbon Disclosure ProjectNGO

Non-Governmental Organization

CORSIA Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation

NOx

Nitrogen Oxides

CO2

Carbon dioxide

nvPM

non-volatile Particulate Matter

CSR

Corporate social responsibility

OEM

Original Equipment Manufacturers

CST

Clean Skies for Tomorrow

PFAD

Palm Fatty Acid Distillate

E&M

Engineering & Maintenanceppkm

per passenger-kilometer

ERF

Effective radiative forcing

RLCF

Low-Carbon Fuels Value Chain Industrial Alliance

ETD

Energy Taxation Directive

RSB

Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials

EU ETS

European Union Emission Trading Scheme

RTK

Revenue Tonnes Kilometer

GHG

Greenhouse gas

SAF

Sustainable Aviation Fuel

GSE

Ground Support Equipment

SBTi

Science Based Target initiative

GHGP

Greenhouse Gas Protocol

SES

Single European Sky

IATAInternational Air Transport Association

SESAR

Single European Sky ATM Research

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

TTW

Tank-to-Wake

ICW

International Catering Waste

UFP

Ultra Fine Particulates

IEA

International Energy Agency

WRI

World Resources Institute

IFS

Inflight Services

WTT

Well-to-Tank

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

WTW

Well-to-Wake

ISCC

the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification

WWF

World Wildlife Fund for Nature48

Footnotes
1.

Press release “KLM Group chooses Airbus A320neo family for KLM and Transavia’s European fleet”, 2021

2.

Press release “Air France-KLM continues to renew its fleet and places firm order for 4 Airbus A350F full freighter aircraft for Martinair (part of the KLM Group),and 3 A350-900 passenger aircraft for Air France”, 2023

3.

Press release “6% to 10% less CO2 with Single European Sky”, 2022

4.

Press release “Air France-KLM pushes its sustainability targets forward with major multi-year Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchase agreements”, 2022

5.

Press release “Air France-KLM pushes its sustainability targets forward with major multi-year Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchase agreements”, 2022

6.

IEA report Aviation, 2022

7.

EASA updated report of the non-CO₂ climate impacts of aviation, 20208.

Airbus ZEROe concepts, 2023

9.

Universal Registration Document AFKL, 2021

10.

Press release “Air France-KLM continues to renew its fleet and places firm order for 4 Airbus A350F full freighter aircraft for Martinair (part of the KLM Group),and 3 A350-900 passenger aircraft for Air France”, 2023

11.

EC Communicatie 2021, p.8.

12.

Press release “Air France-KLM pushes its sustainability targets forward with major multi-year Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) purchase agreements”, 2022

13.

World Economic Forum, 2022

14.

The contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing for 2000 to 2018, 2021

15.

Potential for reducing aviation non-CO2 emissions through cleaner jet fuel, 2022

16.

Building on the earlier GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, the Scope 3 Standard and Scope 3 Guidance are published by the World
Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and were developed with the aim of providing astandardized approach and set of principles for companies to use in preparing Scope 3 inventories. The Scope 3 Standard is the accounting standard usedby the majority of those companies that report Scope 3 emissions.

17.

Aircargo news, Air-France KLM Teams up with Jan de Rijk on biofuel truck, 202218.

https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/2021-02/eurocontrol-data-snapshot-co2-by-distance.pdf

19.

NLR, 2022.

20.

Gold Standards Global Goals, 2023

21.

Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, 2022.

22.

ICAO CORSIA Baseline, 2022

23.

ICAO LTAG, 2022

April 2023

49

Thank you!

50