Etihad Airways on Wednesday announced its commitment to a minimum target of zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and halving its 2019 net emission levels by 2035.

In a statement, the airline said that its ambitious environmental targets will be achieved through a mix of internal initiatives, collaboration with industry partners and adoption of a programme of relevant carbon offsets.

Tony Douglas, group CEO of Etihad Aviation Group, said: "The global focus on the environment and the urgency of reducing carbon emissions has never been greater.

"Etihad Aviation Group, together with its partners, is taking an active role in reducing the impact of aviation on the environment through initiatives ranging from optimised fuel management to sustainable financing practices."

Douglas said the entire air transport industry - from airlines and suppliers to airspace providers - are responsible to help reduce aviation emissions, and solutions need to be holistic and coordinated, not isolated and sporadic.

"Airlines have attracted significant scrutiny in the global discussion of the environment, and our collective challenge as a fast-growing industry is to deliver meaningful initiatives which can quickly help to contain and reduce carbon emissions," he said.

The announcement comes as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that the number of passenger journeys will more than double within 20 years, from 4.5 billion in 2019 to an estimated 9 billion by the late 2030s.

Etihad Airways and Boeing in November announced a first-of-its-kind "eco partnership", in which a specially-themed Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be used to test products, procedures and initiatives designed to reduce aircraft carbon emissions.

The Etihad Greenliner, to be introduced early in 2020, will be used by both companies to explore and assess environmental sustainability initiatives while the aircraft operates scheduled services across the airline’s network.