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Boom Supersonic convenes net Good Summit to drive sustainable future of travel

Boom Supersonic, the aerospace company building the world’s fastest and most sustainable supersonic airliner, and the founding members of its Sustainable Travel Forum today reported learnings from the inaugural Net Good Summit in Lake Tahoe.

The Net Good Summit was an intimate, two-and-half-day gathering convening fifty industry leaders, sustainability experts, and creative thinkers to drive action and innovation in sustainable travel.

“At Boom, we believe that travel is a net good for humanity—connecting us with one another, driving economic growth, and fostering global cultural exchange,” said Kathy Savitt, Boom president.

“We launched the Net Good Summit from a belief in the benefits of travel not just for people, but also for the planet.

“I’m thrilled that such a diverse set of leaders joined us at the Summit. Sustainability is core to our business, and we understand the role cross-sectoral collaboration can play in solving the wider challenge of making travel sustainable.”

With twenty-five speakers from backgrounds including aviation, electric vehicles, clean energy, sustainable fuels, tourism boards, and sustainability nonprofits, the event is centered around the following guiding themes:

  • Decarbonizing Transportation: The future of transportation—from long-haul flights to ground transport—must be safe, clean, and accessible.
  • Enabling Technologies: Climate change has become a defining challenge of our time, requiring innovative solutions and radical thinking.
  • Sustainability Governance: Transitioning the global travel industry to sustainability requires rethinking reporting, investing, and corporate governance.
  • Responsible Tourism: When responsibly planned and managed, tourism supports the conservation of biodiversity, stimulates economic growth, and empowers communities.

Several key learnings emerged from the discussions and informal gatherings at the Net Good Summit.

While scientific and technological progress are critical, humanity is core to sustainability.

“Sustainability is not going to be solved by just the travel industry,” said Mark Stevenson, futurist, author, entrepreneur and speaker at the Net Good Summit.

“It’s got to be a mixture of the travel industry, legislation, governance, investors, that all come together in a sensible way to try and solve the systemic problems”.

The Net Good Summit program featured a vibrant mix of science, futurism, design and travel experts, including:

  • Tim Brown, Executive Chair, IDEO
  • Andrew Chen, Principal for Aviation Decarbonization, RMI
  • Randy Durband, CEO, Global Sustainable Tourism Council
  • Franziska Gsell, Chief Marketing Officer, IWC Schaffhausen
  • Dr. Lourdes Maurice, Former Executive Director, FAA Office of Environment and Energy
  • Nora Lovell Marchant, VP, American Express Global Business Travel
  • Jerry Mpufane, President, South African Tourism North America
  • Lauren Riley, Managing Director, United Airlines
  • Mark Stevenson, Futurist, author, and entrepreneur
  • Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, American Express
  • Christopher Wendel, Co-founder & President, Volta Charging
  • Dr. Donald J. Wuebbles, Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and White House Climate Advisor
  • Additional speakers from Boston Consulting Group, Climeworks, Local Motors, Tourism Australia, VisitBritain and more.

“Corporations are engaging more deeply than ever on sustainability issues, igniting new possibilities for innovators like Boom and our partners at the Net Good Summit to make a difference,” said Savitt.

“Building on the success of the first Summit, we are excited that planning is underway for next year’s event, which will take place in the fall of 2022.”

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