​​​​T​he journey to more sustaina​b​​l​​e​ ​passports​​​

​When we think about the​ carbon footprint associated with traveling abroad, we naturally focus on the mode of transportation we use, not our passports​.​     ​

Our passports, tucked away in our drawers, may seem small and unassuming, but with millions being produced each year, as a whole, the​y consume​ ​a​ surprising​amount of resources​. 

Learn about the challenges and innovations in making passports more eco-friendly. 

Understanding the environmental ​impact of passport production

Before any work can be done to make passports more sustainable, we need to understand the scale of the problem. The most obvious place to start is with the materials passports are made of Plastic (in particular polycarbonate), ink, and microchips all rely on fossil fuel-based raw materials – but that’s not the whole story.​ There are many more factors that contribute to the carbon footprint of a passport, including transportation, energy use, waste management, and more​.​​​​​  

The graphic below from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol ​shows ​some of the hidden impacts that we need to consider when evaluating the sustainability of passports: 

Understanding the environmental ​impact of passport production

• Scope 1 includes all direct emissions from an organization’s activities, and those under its control. This includes fuel combustion on site, such as gas boilers, fleet vehicles etc.
• Scope 2 includes indirect emissions generated by the production of purchased electricity, heating and cooling.
• ​​Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions from the activities of the organization​, occurring from sources that it does not own or control, such as purchased goods and services, material freight, employee travel, ​​transportation and ​distribution​ etc. 

​​With the scale of the problem understood, the most impactful and immediate first step​must be to minimise the usage of fossil fuels.   ​​ 

S​teps towards more eco-friendly passport

At Thales, through our Low Carbon Ambition​, we’ve committed to reducing the direct CO2 emissions in the production of passports by 50% by 2030, compared to 2018 figures. ​For indirect CO​2​ emissions, we’ve committed to a reduction of 15% in the same period.  

​​To reach this target, from 2024 we will be ​​​producing certified polycarbonate at all our factories around the world. Certified polycarbonates are a mix of renewable materials, such as waste from the paper and wood industries, and conventional materials.​ Passports with 100% certified polycarbonate can achieve a 30% to 50% reduction in the carbon footprint of the data page. By 2026, our plan is for the Thales portfolio to include documents with a minimum of 30% recycled material. 

​​Collaborating with the wider industry

Passport production is a complex business, with numerous suppliers and providers involved in the design and creation of these highly secure documents. To achieve our goal of lowering our environmental impact, we need to collaborate effectively. This requires having constructive dialogue and pushing one another to improve.  

Across the identity ecosystem, stakeholders should be willing to share and learn from responsible best practices. One of the areas that requires collective attention is the need to identify a plastic that does not rely on fossil fuel-based raw materials. There is a huge workload involved in identifying and qualifying the material, so it will require the group effort of several industry stakeholders, including suppliers, universities, and research and development teams. 

Setting sustainable​ standards

​​​​W​e must also look at adding some straightforward requirements to tenders to make sure partners are equally committed to the cause. This could, for example, include requesting renewable electricity sourcing or asking bidders to demonstrate how they engage with suppliers on ESG topics. ​​​​​​​​Finally​, we must address end-of-life document management​,​ ​including retrieving, transporting, and disposing of documents in a secure manner. ​This challenge varies from country to country depending on materials and recycling capabilities. However, the main concern is always to prevent the misuse of expired passports for illegal purposes. 

Sustainability is an ongoing, collective journey that requires persistence and collaboration, yet the rewards are significant. Incremental improvements made throughout the passport life cycle will accumulate into significant reductions – supporting governmental and organisational climate goals. Along with our partners, we are committed to exploring innovative solutions and minimising environmental impact.