GOVERNMENTS should not scrutinise the airline industry alone when addressing carbon emissions but also look at other significant contributors like artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining, said AirAsia CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.

He said these industries also contribute to global carbon emissions while airlines account for approximately 3% globally, which was much lower than activities such as farming.  

“The airline industry often gets a lot of negative press, but I hope governments are also looking at the carbon emissions caused by artificial intelligence and bitcoin farming, among others,” Fernandes said in Kota Kinabalu yesterday.

“All of these likely burn more, so everyone has to play a part – airlines are just easy to target.”

Fernandes said this when sharing his thoughts on the global push towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

The move aims to mitigate the impact of climate change by reducing carbon emissions across all sectors, with a particular focus on industries that are major polluters.

Fernandes noted that AirAsia is likely one of the most carbon-efficient airlines globally, owing to its use of the latest technology and maximised seating capacity.

He also said that the airline company was prepared to impose carbon charges on flyers but wants its proceeds to be re-invested into local carbon offset projects, such as in Sabah.

“Most of the carbon offset projects are outside of our own territories, which we believe is unfair. We collect the money, and we need it to be offset…

“If we’re going to collect the money, we want the offsets to be here – in Sabah. Whether it’s making sustainable fuel, building wind generation, or increasing forest cover, we want to do more in Sabah,” he said.

He also called for a standardised approach across industries and urged governments to educate the public on the purpose of carbon taxes.

“We want people to understand why they’re paying a carbon tax. And very importantly, we need more carbon offset projects in Sabah. That’s a major focus of my meetings today,” he said. – August 14, 2024.