On November 30, 2023, ARC organised its second annual conference, hosted by Rhein-Neckar Metropolitan Region and Stadt Mannheim, bringing together industry leaders, experts, and stakeholders to delve into the pressing topic of greening aviation. The event, held in the city of Mannheim, witnessed engaging discussions that explored the challenges, opportunities, strategies, and innovations for regions and airports propelling the aviation industry toward sustainability.
The conference featured three dynamic panels designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities for aviation and airport regions to achieve sustainable changes for the future.
The 'Green Aviation: The EU & German Perspectives' panel brought together speakers, including RAFAL ROWINSKI, Policy Officer in the Aviation Policy unit, DG MOVE; NIELS DETTMANN, Federal Ministry for Digitalisation and Transport; and DR. MONIKA HERRMANN, Head of the Climate Neutral Fuels/E-fuels Team, Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg.
The 'Green Aviation - Airports & Regional Perspective' section showcased RAM KAMATH, Coordinator of Transitioning Aviation to Climate-neutrality at Bauhaus-Luftfahrt; MEILTJE DE GROOT, CEO of Groningen Airport Eelde; BENEDICT ENDERLE, Group Lead at DLR, Institute of Combustion Technology; MARCUS WEBER, Director of Green Aviation Hub Mannheim; JORDI CANDELA, CEO of Aeroports de Catalunya; KATARINA SISAKOVA, Project Manager for Hydrogen Technologies, Kosice Region; NORTON YEUNG, Senior Manager, Aviation Strategic Advisory, Mace; and KYLE YOUNG, Senior Manager, Resilience Strategic Advisory, Mace.
The 'Green Aviation - Airlines & Industry Perspective' panelists included JORGE DIEGUEZ from IATA, EU affairs, and TOMISLAV LANG, Managing Director of Volocopter Air Services GmbH.
The conference facilitated crucial conversations among key stakeholders, including regions, airports, airlines, and technology-focused companies. These discussions provided valuable insights and fostered a shared understanding to drive coordinated efforts on a European scale towards sustainable aviation.
Our appreciation goes out to Stadt Mannheim and Rhein-Neckar for their support in facilitating this gathering. We express our gratitude to the speakers whose compelling insights not only stimulated thoughts but also ignited essential conversations crucial for advancing sustainable aviation and airport regions. To all participants, we extend our thanks, and we cannot wait to see you next year in Vantaa for another impactful gathering.