Japanese logistics company Nippon Express Europe has taken another step towards its sustainability goals as it entered a deal with Lufthansa Cargo to advocate the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for transporting air freight shipments.

This will enable the Nippon Express Group to achieve emissions savings of approximately 3,150 tonnes within one year. The agreement also includes contributing to high-quality and certified climate protection projects for so-called ‘well-to-tank emissions’ that arise during the production and supply of SAF.

The Nippon Express Group has set the goal of a 50 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 compared to 2013 as a response to climate change and of contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral society by 2050. It aims to reduce emissions by 350,000 tonnes by 2023, equivalent to a 30 percent reduction from 2013 levels.

In May 2023, NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS, Inc. submitted a letter of commitment to be certified as a Science Based Targets (SBT) company, and the entire group is working together to achieve a carbon neutral society by 2050.

Lufthansa Cargo is committed to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and supports the Group’s ambitious target to halve net CO₂ emission levels seen in 2019 by as early as 2030. The airline’s clearly defined reduction path has been validated by the Science Based Target Initiativ’ (SBTi), making Lufthansa the first airline group in Europe with a scientifically based CO₂ reduction target in line with the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015.