According to the IEA, aviation is responsible for around 2.5% of the world’s carbon emissions. To make the industry more sustainable and accelerate a net-zero future, airlines need to plot a realistic roadmap for emissions reduction.
In this exclusive interview, Aerospace Tech Review talks to Jolanda Stevens, Program Manager, Zero Emission Aviation, from KLM. The Dutch national carrier published its first Climate Action Plan in 2022, and has now developed a range of short- and long-term strategies to mitigate emissions.
In the long term, of course we have new technologies like hydrogen, batteries, electric, and underlying all of these is alternative aviation fuel.
To take immediate action on waste reduction, KLM uses an artificial intelligence (AI) system to determine which foods should be packed onboard. This has reduced the airline’s food waste by 63%.
Looking at the bigger picture, the airline has a robust fleet renewal plan and aims for 80% of its aircraft to be energy-efficient models by 2030. As the momentum behind sustainable fuel ramps up, Stevens discusses KLM’s ongoing plans to fly their first zero-carbon emissions flight before the end of the decade. In partnership with ZeroAvia, a flight demonstration with a hydrogen-powered engine is also expected for 2026.
If you’re looking at new technologies then the infrastructure has to be there, and for hydrogen that is totally different to what we have today. On the other hand, once the infrastructure is there, you can scale that up in different steps.
Driving sustainability across organisations with as many moving parts as airlines is a technologically complex and lengthy process. As Stevens highlights, if easy wins were possible, they would have been achieved already. Nevertheless, her outlook for the future remains positive.
Investing in new technologies and helping new startups, new parties in the field who have disruptive ideas, is very necessary for the future. I think we should all step in and help them.
🎥 Watch the full interview below to hear more from Jolanda on KLM’s sustainable operations journey.
Questions asked include:
- Could you give us an overview of the zero-emission programme at KLM?
- Can you talk us through some of the sustainable technologies and innovations you’ve adopted over the years?
- How confident are you that infrastructural challenges can be overcome?
- Are there any ‘quick wins’ for sustainability in aviation?
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss the future of sustainable aviation, including operational efficiency, sustainable fuels, and hybrid engines.
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