RIYADH: One of the largest global aircraft manufacturers, Airbus, is pledging to manufacture a new zero-emission aircraft by 2035, according to a leading executive in the company.

With sustainability a key discussion point in the Future Aviation Forum, President at Airbus Africa and Middle East Mikail Houari told Arab News of the business’s plans in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the event.

Houari explained that Airbus first started to manufacture aircraft with 25 percent less emission and has taken the initiative for a zero-emission aircraft into serious matters to deliver by 2035.

“The market is expecting this from us, the market is asking for it, and as a leader in the industry we have the responsibility to drive the whole ecosystem into a sustainable value chain,” he explained.

He added that sustainability will be a key differentiator factor in the growth of aircraft manufacturers in the future, as aviation contributes 2.5 percent to global pollution.

“It’s not fair for people to say that aviation is a polluting industry, but it is true we represent two and half percent, and therefore we want to play our role in society, and we want to work on it,” Houari said.