In this episode of ‘Sustainability in the Air’ podcast, Dick Benschop, Chair of the Board at Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), speaks with SimpliFlying’s CEO Shashank Nigam about breaking down silos between hard-to-abate sectors and accelerating decarbonisation through strategic partnerships.
MPP comprises four core partners: the World Economic Forum, Energy Transitions Commission, Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), and the We Mean Business Coalition. It unites key public and private sector actors to drive the transformation of carbon-intensive industries such as aviation, heavy-duty road transport, shipping, chemicals, cement, and steel. By fostering collaboration across governments, businesses, researchers, and civil society, MPP aims to unlock innovative solutions and policies to accelerate industry decarbonisation.
Before joining MPP, Benschop served as the President and CEO of the Royal Schiphol Group and brings extensive experience from the energy sector, offering unique insights into aviation’s sustainability challenges.
Here are the key highlights of the conversation:
Mission Possible Partnership’s role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors (2:25)
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project tracker and current status (4:55)
European blending mandate for sustainable aviation fuels (10:46)
Potential of carbon pricing and taxation in aviation (15:20)
Hydrogen and battery electric aircraft potential (22:48)
Scaling SAF without competing with other sectors (26:41)
Breaking down silos between different industrial sectors (30:18)
Rapid Fire! (42:35)
Keep reading for a quick overview of the episode.
Why cross-sector collaboration matters for aviation decarbonisation
Given the scale of transformation needed for a sustainable future, the aviation industry’s path to net zero cannot be achieved in isolation. Benschop emphasises the need to break away from siloed thinking by bringing together diverse stakeholders, including companies, local governments, policymakers, and financial institutions.
Benschop shares that MPP fosters the exchange of ideas and solutions between sectors to overcome common obstacles. For instance, lessons from the aviation sector, such as the SAF blending mandate, are being applied to ammonia production, particularly in promoting green fertiliser. He suggests that introducing a green fertiliser mandate could stimulate demand for green ammonia, which could, in turn, benefit both the fertiliser and shipping industries.
This approach demonstrates how collaboration across sectors can create mutually beneficial solutions, addressing challenges that impact multiple industries, and accelerate progress towards decarbonisation.
The need for cross-sector collaboration is especially acute for aviation due to its rapid growth and visibility, says Benschop. “What makes [decarbonising aviation] challenging is the level of growth and the fact that we are only at the beginning of the decarbonising journey,” he adds. “It’s a race to achieve scale, and it's a race against time.”
This urgency necessitates a systemic approach that considers not just technological solutions but also policy frameworks, market mechanisms, and cross-sector synergies.
4 takeaways from the conversation
1. The urgency of early action
Benschop highlights the importance of early action in decarbonising the aviation sector. He explains that the speed of emission reductions is crucial.
“It’s not just about reaching 2050; it’s about how fast you go. The earlier you start reducing emissions, the lower the total emissions will be,” he says.
He also addresses the challenge of scaling up SAF without competing with other sectors that need hydrogen and green electricity, such as shipping, steel, and transport. He acknowledges the potential for tension between sectors and notes, “This will depend on how quickly other sectors can decarbonise. We need to keep innovating and becoming more efficient.”
Benschop stresses the need for a system-wide approach, recognising that the decarbonisation of one sector impacts others. For example, he suggests that biomass could shift from passenger cars – once they fully electrify – to industries like aviation and shipping, where it is urgently needed. “We could eventually use biomass more in industry or aviation, rather than for passenger cars,” he says. Benschop also calls for regulations that consider the interconnectedness of industries, as well as continuous innovation and collaboration to meet decarbonisation targets.
2. Addressing the chicken-and-egg problem through policy
One of the most significant barriers to SAF adoption is the mutual hesitation between suppliers and airlines, says Benschop. “The energy companies say, ‘…the demand is not there, we cannot rely on it, we cannot make such big investments because the demand is not there.’ The airlines would say, ‘Well yes, we would love to fly on SAF but there’s no SAF available on the market.’”
Benschop explains that the key to overcoming the “chicken-and-egg” problem between SAF supply and demand lies in policy measures like pricing carbon, government subsidies, and regulations.
He notes that while the SAF technology exists, it still requires innovation to become cheaper and scalable. A significant policy tool to accelerate this is Europe’s SAF blending mandate, which requires all flights starting in the EU to use 2% SAF in 2025. This mandate addresses the chicken-and-egg issue by ensuring a set level of demand, and serves as a catalyst for market development* as it helps create certainty for both suppliers and airlines, enabling long-term planning and investment.
*Note: According to MPP's latest analysis, there are currently 40 SAF plants in operation and 10 that have reached Final Investment Decision (FID), with an additional 143 plants announced. While the podcast mentions different figures, recent analysis shows that these 50 operational and FID-approved plants represent approximately 50% of the capacity needed for 2030 targets, as the actual plants are larger than initially assumed. The key message remains unchanged: while SAF plant development is progressing due to mandates and commitments, considerable additional effort is still needed in the near term to meet 2030 targets.
3. Smart environmental constraints over simple caps
Benschop advocates for smart environmental constraints rather than simple carbon taxes or activity caps to address aviation’s sustainability challenges. He explains that carbon pricing can play a role, but it needs to be designed thoughtfully. While carbon taxes on fuel can encourage the use of SAF and reduce emissions, he believes taxes on flying itself, unrelated to carbon content, would not be as effective. He argues, “Instead of taxing flights, mandating more SAF would have a similar effect on flight prices while reducing CO2 emissions. Pricing is important, but not all taxation is as effective as it may seem.”
Benschop believes in setting effective environmental limits that enable innovation and growth within defined boundaries. He adds, “It’s about smart policy making... think about what’s the most effective way of pushing ourselves in the direction we need to go.”
4. The future of aviation propulsion
Looking ahead, Benschop sees a diversified future for aviation propulsion. He believes that electric and hydrogen aircraft could serve up to a third of aviation energy demand by 2050. “By 2030, you will see a raft of electric planes in operation, while hydrogen is 2035 and beyond,” he predicts.
The development of electric aircraft will benefit from broader technological advances in battery technology driven by automotive and energy storage applications. For hydrogen, while the timeline is longer, major manufacturers like Airbus are making significant investments.
Benschop envisions a future where different technologies serve different market segments: battery electric for shorter routes, hydrogen for medium-range flights, and SAF for long-haul operations.
This multi-technology approach, combined with cross-sector collaboration and smart policy frameworks, forms a comprehensive strategy for aviation's sustainable transformation. As Benschop concludes, success requires looking beyond individual sectors to system-wide solutions, highlighting the need for coordinated action across industry, government and consumers.
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