Jambojet to plant 2 million trees to combat carbon emissions
From left: Kenya Forest Service Ngong Hills Forestation Manager Francis Kurema, Kajiado Assistant County Commissioner Bathsheba Osiemo, Jambojet CEO Karanja Ndegwa and KFS Nairobi Head of Conservancy Francis Kariuki watering a tree planted at Ngong Hills Forest during an Adopt a Forest project by Jambojet and KFS on June 17, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Carbon dioxide is the largest component of aircraft emissions.
- Kenya currently contributes 0.05 per cent of the world's total carbon emissions.
Regional airline Jambojet has embarked on a mission to combat carbon dioxide emissions in the country by planting 2 million trees between now and the year 2050. Carbon dioxide is the largest component of aircraft emissions.
Kenya currently contributes 0.05 per cent of the world's total carbon emissions with a drop by 13.80 per cent from 19.0 million tonnes in 2019 to 16.4 million tonnes in 2020, according to a study by Knoema data experts.
"We heed the global call for net zero transition, and tree planting is one of the activities we consciously take part in to reduce impact on the environment from our operations," Jambojet CEO Karanja Ndegwa said.
Mr Karanja spoke at the launch of an Adopt a Forest project with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) at Ngong Hills Forest in Kajiado County where 1100 seedlings of indigineous trees were planted on one hectare.
Apart from Nairobi, the airline intends to spread its wings to their other six destinations - Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi, Diani and Lamu - to attain their environmental goals.
Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (ELDOWAS) has offered five hectares for tree planting in partnership with the airline. The planting of mangrove trees in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is expected to commence next month.
KFS Head of Conversancy Nairobi Francis Kariuki urged the airline to encourage travellers to get involved through adopting a tree to ensure survival rates. He also noted that buffaloes have been sighted at Ngong Hills Forest to show that animals are being attracted back to the forest due to the restoration efforts made by several supporting organisations and surrounding communities.
Jambojet operates with six Dash 8-400 aircrafts which have the lowest carbon dioxide emissions per passenger of any regional aircraft. They produce 35 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions as compared to regional jets and 50 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to narrow body jets, according to the company that manufactures the aircraft, De Havilland Canada.
The aircrafts also meet United Nations International Civil Aviation Organisation's (ICAO) stringent noise emission standards in support of greener aviation.
