SEPANG: Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) has proposed to reduce its emissions intensity by 30 to 35 per cent by 2030 against its 2019 baseline under its Mid-Term Sustainability Roadmap 2026-2035 launched today.
The group aspires to cut emissions intensity by 40-45 per cent by 2035 as part of its long-term commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
MAG president and group chief executive officer Captain Nasaruddin A. Bakar said the roadmap, which supports the group's Long-Term Business Plan 3.0, sets measurable priorities across its operations, facilities, value chain, workforce and governance.
He said the group's aviation operations will focus on fleet renewal, fuel efficiency, ground electrification and the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), alongside eligible carbon credits in line with regulatory requirements.
"The roadmap sets measurable priorities across our operations, facilities, value chain, people and governance. The test of this roadmap will not be the document itself, but what changes because of it,” he said in his opening address at Aviation Sustainability Day 2026 here today.
Nasaruddin said delivering the roadmap will require sustained efforts across MAG and continued engagement with its industry partners.
He said collaboration with Malaysia Airports will provide opportunities to coordinate sustainability initiatives in areas where their operations intersect, particularly cleaner energy, terminal efficiency and ground electrification.
Beyond aviation operations, MAG is targeting a 20 per cent reduction in building energy intensity against its 2023 baseline, and 55 per cent waste diversion from landfill by 2030.
The group also aims to strengthen its human rights approach and increase women's representation across MAG to 37 per cent by 2030 and 40 per cent by 2035, with particular focus on technical roles.
He said MAG will focus on translating the roadmap into everyday operational decisions, monitoring progress and maintaining transparency about the challenges encountered during implementation.
Nasaruddin also stressed the importance of collaboration among the government, regulators, airports, airlines and supporting industries in advancing aviation sustainability, noting that progress depended on the entire aviation ecosystem working towards shared objectives.
He said initiatives such as expanding access to SAF, providing charging infrastructure for electric ground equipment and improving waste recovery systems required coordinated efforts across the industry.
Nasaruddin added that MAG’s sustainability journey had gained momentum in 2021 with the establishment of its sustainability governance structure and the introduction of initiatives across the group, including its inaugural flight powered by sustainable aviation fuel.
"Since then, we have strengthened our greenhouse gas accounting, sustainable procurement and carbon trading policy frameworks to support better decision-making, improve transparency and prepare the group for evolving sustainability requirements.
"These efforts are translating into measurable outcomes as MAG has recorded a 22 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity against our 2019 baseline. We have also avoided 30.1 million single-use plastic items onboard, while building energy intensity by 13 per cent between 2023 and 2025,” he said.
Concurrently, MAG continues to invest in the long-term transformation of its operations through its ongoing fleet renewal programme, which supports its ambition to operate a modern mainline fleet of 117 aircraft by 2035. The programme is expected to be a key enabler of future emissions reductions while strengthening operational performance and customer experience.
MAG has also become the first airline group in ASEAN to achieve the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) Integrated Sustainability Programme (ISP) Sustainable Procurement certification, reinforcing its commitment to embedding sustainability into purchasing decisions and supplier relationships.
Nasaruddin said these efforts provided a strong foundation for the next phase of MAG's sustainability journey, but achieving its long-term ambitions will require greater collaboration across the aviation ecosystem, continued innovation and a more structured approach to implementation. - Bernama
