Alan Newby

"You've got to get beyond your sector"

Rolls Royce Director Alan Newby talks to us about the aviation transition at the Business and Philanthropy Forum. Progress is no longer theoretical: over the course of a year, the sector delivered a next‑generation engine delivering 10% efficiency gains, in‑service engines that can run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and successful hydrogen engine tests. With a transatlantic flight on 100% SAF under their belt, the aviation industry is feeling positive.

Within this success, an overarching message around system change emerges. Decarbonising flight depends on a whole‑economy plan spanning engine innovation, fuel production, green energy, infrastructure, and the finance and policy frameworks that unlock them.

Tools such as the Aviation Impact Accelerator help direct limited R&D towards the technologies that cut emissions fastest. The goal is clear: net zero aviation by 2050 without losing the social and economic benefits of flying.

With diverse sectors in the room, COP28 shows how collaboration can turn intent into investable pathways, enabling planet‑compatible flight for everyone worldwide.