Sustainability Analysis: Emission Control Strategies for Qatar Airways

This essay investigates the sustainability issues related to emission control within the airline industry, focusing on Qatar Airways. It analyzes the impact of carbon emissions on society, the environment, and the economy, highlighting the role of transportation, particularly air travel, as a significant contributor to carbon emissions. The study identifies key stakeholders, including employees, management, government, suppliers, and customers, and evaluates the challenges and consequences of carbon emissions for businesses. It discusses future trends in carbon emissions and emphasizes the need for sustainable strategies to mitigate the negative impacts and adhere to emission control regulations, while also maintaining a positive market image for Qatar Airways. Desklib is a great platform to find similar assignments and study resources.

Running head: SUSTAINABILITY AND BUSINESS
Sustainability and Business
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
The report helps in analysis of the sustainability issues that is related to controlling of
the emission in the airline industries. The airways that has been taken in the respective report
is Qatar Airways and analysis is required to be done that will help in analysing and
identifying the issues effectively (Loorbach and Wijsman 2013). Proper research is required
to be done as this will assist in focusing on the controlling of the emission that is caused to
the airline companies (Murrieta-Mendoza, Botez and Ford 2014). The critical evaluation of
the strategy of sustainability along with implementations has to be addressed effectively.
The main objective and resolution of the report is the identification of the different
kind of key approaches along with analysis of the principles of sustainability in relation to the
global issue emission control in the airline industry respectively. Proper evaluation and
development of the key strategies have to be implemented by the respective airways named
Qatar Airways to reduce the emission caused by them and solve the issues in an effectual
manner. Proper identification of the different kind of major conflicts and innovative actions
will be described that will help the company in reducing the respective issue of emissions
caused due to the fossil fuel combustion in the airways sector.
The structure of the report includes the analysis of the sustainability issue that is
caused by the Qatar Airways. Proper emphasis has to be provided on the key approaches and
principles of sustainability as this will evaluating the implications of the global issue for the
business along with the environment as well. The investigation has to be done effectively on
the different stakeholder analysis with the development of the strategies of sustainability for
the respective organization. Proper recommendations have to be provided in an appropriate
manner that will help in improving the respective scenario and solve the issues effectually as
well.

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Overview of Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C is operating as the Qatar Airways and it is
headquartered in Airways tower in Doha that is linked with more than 145 international
destinations across Central Asia, Europe, and South Asia along with North America. There
are more than 24,000 employees wherein the fleet size is 214 and it was commenced in the
year 1994 in the month of January 1993 (www.qatarairways.com 2018). However, in the
recent time, they are facing different organizational and business challenges. One of the
major challenges for them is the emission control legislations being introduced by the
governments in different countries and the international regulatory bodies. Though, the
objective of the emission control regulations is having positive impact on the entire
ecosystem of the airline industry but it is causing challenges for Qatar Airways in their
business operation. This is due to the reason that they have to face more diverse legislations
and added cost.
Impact of the carbon emission
Social impact
One of the major impacts of the carbon emission in the society is the degradation of
the human health. This is due to the reason carbon emission will cause increase in the global
warming. Global warming will cause increase in the average temperature of the earth, which
lead to the health concerns for the human beings (West et al. 2013). Different types of skin
diseases and respiratory problems will get emerged. It will become for difficult of the human
beings to survive in the challenging weather and climate condition.

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Figure: 1
Growth rate of global warming
Source: (Icr.org 2018)
Environmental impact
Increase in the rate of carbon emission will have huge adverse impact on the
environment. One of the major impacts is the increase in the average temperature. This will
cause extinction of different flora and fauna species. In addition, carbon emission and
increase in the average temperature will also reduce the agricultural productivity in the long
term. Origination of the carbon emission especially the carbon monoxide contributes in
depleting the ozone layers. This caused inflow of the harmful solar rays through the
atmosphere.
Economical impact
The more will be the carbon emission, the more will be the negative impact on the
economy. This is due to the reason that agriculture production will get reduced and this will
negatively impact the economy of the countries. Moreover, due to having extreme weather

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condition, the productivity of the population will also get reduced (Panayotou 2016). This
will also reduce the average income of the economy.

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Figure: 2
Rate of carbon emission and economic growth
Source: (Stern 2018)
Carbon emission
The current global ecosystem and state of affairs are dealing with different challenges
and the environment issue is the major one. Environmental issues such as climate change and
degradation are negatively impacting each and every institutions and every individual. In the
current time, there are various sources emerged around the word, which are contributing in
increasing the rate of carbon emission (Hoen et al. 2014). One of the major sources of carbon
emission is the transportation including the airways. Huge consumption of the fossil fuels by
the transportation sector is causing carbon emission in huge intensity.

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Figure: 3
Carbon emission by sectors
Source: (Our World in Data.org, 2018)
According to the above data, it is seen that transportation is the second highest
contributor in carbon emission in the global scenario. In addition, it is showing increasing
trend and thus it can be concluded that contribution from the global transportation sector in
relation to the carbon emission will get further increased in the following years. It should also
be noted that air transportation is also included in the global transportation system. Air
transportation is the largest contributor among all the available mode of transportation due to
the reason that the rate of consuming fossil fuels is quite higher for the airways compared to
other conventional mode of transportation (Cristea et al. 2013).

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Figure: 4
Global trend of carbon emission from fossil fuel
Source: (The Verge, 2018)
The above data shows that carbon emission from the fossil fuel is increasing rapidly
and this is mainly due to the reason that transportation sector is growing at the similar rate.
The more growth of the transportation will lead to the increase in the demand for fossil fuels.
Therefore, the emission from burning fossil fuels will also is getting increased.

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Figure: 5
Carbon emission by regions
Source: (Energytrendsinsider.com, 2018)
In the last decade, developed western economies are the major contributors of carbon
emission due to their more market demands. However, the recent time is witnessing the
growth of the developing economies and the Gulf nations in carbon emission map. This is
mainly due to the reason that developing nations are showing more economic growth
compared to the developed nations and on the other hand, Gulf nations are developing rapidly
due to their access to the oil reserves (Shahbaz et al. 2013). In accordance to this situation,
the above figure is showing the increasing trend of carbon emission from the Gulf nations.
Thus, after the discussion of the origination of the carbon emission, the intensity of it
in the current time can be assumed. However, the identified issue is not having negative
impact on the environment but also on other stakeholders including the airliners. It is

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becoming more difficult and complex situation for the airline industries to deal with this issue
along with adhering to the stringent legislations and regulations introduced. On the other
hand, Qatar airways should also be sustainable enough in order to deal with the issue of
carbon emission and also to create positive image in the market.
Identification of the stakeholders
The issue of carbon emission for Qatar airways is involving different stakeholders
including the organization itself. The major internal stakeholders for Qatar airways are the
employees and higher level management. On the other hand, external stakeholders include
the government, suppliers, customers and the entre global population.
Employees
Employees are considered as the major stakeholders in the issue of carbon emission
due to the reason that implementation of carbon tax by different countries. Carbon tax is
levied on the business organizations according to their carbon emission (Meng, Siriwardana
and McNeill 2013). Thus, in the case of Qatar Airways, the rate of emission is higher due to
their international and long haul routes. Thus, the rate of carbon tax will also be more for
Qatar airways, which will affect the employee management. This is due to the reason that the
Qatar airways cannot increase their fare to adjust with the carbon tax. Thus, this will lead to
the reduction in the facilities, benefits and perquisites for the employees.
Higher management
Upper level management of Qatar airways is also a major stakeholder in the issue of
carbon emission. This is due to the reason that they will decide about the mitigation process
of the issue. Moreover, the intensity of the issue of carbon emission will determine the
sustainability of the organization. Thus, the effectiveness of the upper level management will
ensure that emission control will get effectively fulfilled.

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Government
Government can also be treated as a major stakeholder in the issue of carbon emission
and emission control. This is due to the reason that government is responsible to introduce the
legislations for the business organizations (He et al. 2015). It is up to the government about
how to tackle with the issue of carbon emission. The effectiveness and intensity of the
measures by the government will determine how business organizations are following the
carbon control policies. Suppliers are also considered as the stakeholder in the ongoing issue
of carbon emission. This is due to the reason that suppliers for Qatar airways include the
aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus. They are responsible for manufacturing
fuel efficient aircrafts that will emit less carbon.
Critical evaluation of the issue
Future trend for carbon emission
There are various researches are being done on the implications and future of carbon
emission. Reviewing these theories will help to understand the intensity of carbon emission
along with the impact of legislations and regulations on it. According to Grote, Williams and
Preston (2014), civil aviation sector is one of the major contributors of carbon emission in the
current global scenario. Moreover, it was also discussed that the rate of contribution of the
civil aviation in carbon emission will further get increased in the future due to the increase in
the demand. According to the authors, airliners in the global scenario consume more than 5
million barrels of fossil fuels per day on an average basis. Thus, the more will be the demand
for the aviation sector, the more will be the flights and demand for fuels. This will in turn
increase the rate of carbon emission by means of burning fossil fuel.
However, on the other hand, the authors have also stated about some of the challenges
that may get emerged in initiating the mitigating processes for carbon emission. One of the

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major challenges being identified is the resistance from the associated stakeholders. This is
due to the reason that in order to reduce the rate of carbon emission from the civil aviation,
the demand for air travel should also be reduced. Thus, reduction of the air travel will not get
supported by the related stakeholders. Hence, according to the authors, it is difficult for the
airliners such as Qatar Airways to overcome the issue of carbon emission.
Consequences of carbon emission
Though the impact of the carbon emission is more in climate and environment but it is
also having different and diverse impact on the business organizations. One of the major
impacts of the carbon emission for business organizations is the change in business
environment. According to Matsumura, Prakash and Vera-Munoz (2013), carbon emission
may not have direct impact on the business organizations, but it will have indirect impact
such as creating unfavourable business environment. For instance, Qatar airways will find it
tough to operate in the airline industry if they do have favourable weather and climate for
their operation. They will also not have enough passengers if the air travel becomes more
unsafe due to the change in the weather and climate. Thus, according to the authors, it is also
important for the airliner industry to have effective policies and strategies in mitigating the
issue of carbon emission.
The authors have also discussed about another issue that will be faced by the business
organizations from the carbon emission. This issue is the brand image in the market. In the
current time, especially in the airliner market, brand image is important in order to stay and
survive in the competition. Thus, if Qatar airways can have effective policies of sustainability
and carbon control, then it will create ethical brand image about them in the market. The
current generation of environment conscious customers will get more attracted with this.