Karel Bockstael, an aviation consultant and former VP of Sustainability at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, has taken a pivotal role in advocating for a sustainable transformation within the aviation industry. With a background in aerospace engineering and over 30 years of experience in senior management roles, Bockstael has been a vocal proponent of ‘conscious flight,’ addressing the environmental and societal impacts of aviation.
In a recent interview with the Green Mobility Magazine, Bockstael discussed the newly formed Call Aviation to Action a group of current and former aviation professionals urging decisive action on the industry’s growing contribution to climate change. The group aims to attract the ‘silent majority’ within the industry who understand the urgency of the sector’s decarbonisation but have yet to speak up due to various apprehensions.
Bockstael expressed concerns about the aviation sector’s response to climate change, stating, “The aviation sector is not responding adequately. We see that all the efforts that are being taken by the industry, like SAF and new aircraft, a bit of regulation, et cetera, is much less than the growth of aviation.” He highlighted the need for a business model that enables transformation, noting that the current model lacks the necessary carbon budget to drive innovation and investment.
Delving into the structural challenges of the aviation industry’s current business model, Bockstael believes it is fundamentally misaligned with the urgent need for sustainability. “The aviation industry operates on a very competitive, low-margin business model,” he explained. “Any additional cost can significantly impact a company’s position in the market, making it difficult to invest in sustainable innovations.”
One of the core issues, according to Bockstael, is the absence of a carbon budget for the aviation sector. A carbon budget would set a clear limit on the total emissions the industry can produce, creating a framework within which airlines must operate. “Without a carbon budget, there’s no scarcity, and without scarcity, there’s no urgency to innovate or change,” he stated. This lack of a budget means that airlines can continue to grow without facing the true environmental costs of their operations.
Bockstael also referenced the Jevons Paradox, an economic concept where increased efficiency in the use of a resource leads to increased consumption rather than reduced use. “In aviation, we’ve seen tremendous improvements in efficiency, which have driven costs down,” he noted. “But lower costs lead to increased demand for air travel, which in turn can lead to higher overall emissions.”
This paradox highlights a critical flaw in the current approach to sustainability in aviation. “We need a business model that accounts for the environmental impact of growth,” Bockstael asserted. “A carbon budget would create the necessary constraints to drive innovation and investment in sustainable aviation fuels and technologies.”
By introducing a carbon budget, the industry would face a new reality where emissions are capped, and exceeding the budget would come with significant consequences. “Scarcity drives up prices, and higher prices can lead to higher margins,” Bockstael explained. “With higher margins, airlines would have the financial capacity to invest in sustainable solutions.”
This shift would not only encourage the rapid scaling of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) but also spur innovation in aircraft design and operational efficiency. “It’s about creating an environment where sustainability is not just an option but a necessity,” he added.
Bockstael called on regulators and industry leaders to collaborate in establishing a carbon budget and to work towards a global framework for aviation emissions. “The European Union has shown leadership with instruments like the Emissions Trading System (ETS),” he acknowledged. “But we need a global approach to ensure that all players in the industry are working towards the same goals.”
He urged policymakers to continue pushing for regulations that would mandate a carbon budget and to ensure that revenues generated from such mechanisms are reinvested into the aviation system to support its transformation. “This is not just about reducing emissions but about reshaping the industry to fit within planetary boundaries,” Bockstael concluded.
The Call Aviation to Action was born out of a shared concern among aviation professionals about the industry’s trajectory. Bockstael explained, “We have a lot of wizards in our industry who really can create magic and try and solve all the problems. But we are lacking the prophets who think a little bit more on the longer term and can prevent us from crashing.”
The group’s objective is to create a safe space for industry professionals to discuss the future of aviation and challenge the current business model. Bockstael emphasized the importance of a carbon budget, stating, “If we would have a carbon budget, that would generate scarcity, and from that scarcity, the industry will spark innovation much more rapidly than today.”
While the Call Aviation to Action is still in its infancy, Bockstael and his colleagues are passionate about driving change. They plan to engage with the community, present at conferences, and prepare white papers to share their thoughts and challenge industry leaders. Bockstael acknowledged the financial constraints but expressed confidence in the community’s ability to grow and attract support.
Bockstael commended the European Union’s leadership in climate action and urged policymakers to continue pushing the industry towards a sustainable future. He suggested that the EU’s instruments, such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and sustainable fuel blending, could serve as examples for global adoption. Bockstael also called for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to play a pivotal role in the industry’s transformation, stating, “If ICAO would step into this kind of formulas and reasoning from a carbon budget, then we would ignite the future, sustainable future for our industry.”
