Airline sector pledges big emissions cuts
Thursday, 7 June 2007
VANCOUVER, June 6 (AFP): Leaders of the world's airline industry said at their annual meeting that airlines will strive to be more "green" and aim for zero carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050, but skeptics question whether the goal is realistic.
"I don't have all the answers, but I'm sure research can find the way to achieve zero per cent in 50 years. This is realistic," Giovanni Bisignani, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said at the group's annual conference in Vancouver this week.
Bisignani identified reducing emissions as the industry's new priority for the sector, which has revived with expected earnings of five billion dollars for 2007 after several years of losses.
But there was skepticism in the corridors of the conference hall over the practicality of reaching the zero emissions target given the relentless growth in air travel.
"With the prospects of an increasing air traffic, between aging populations of OECD countries, emerging markets and continuing globalization of business activity, this can make us sweat," said Michael Levine, a researcher at New York University.
Despite current efforts to reduce fuel consumption by 25 per cent by 2020 using existing technologies, the carbon footprint of the civil aviation industry is growing as a portion of global emissions.
The IATA is counting on scientific advances, through the efforts of air carriers and with the public sector-including governments, regulators, United Nations-imposing international standards and creating a carbon emissions trading market. "To reach zero emissions for carbon dioxide, you need fuel without carbon, that is to say a hydrogen engine," said Trung Ngo, head of communications at the Canadian airline Bombardier.
"I don't have all the answers, but I'm sure research can find the way to achieve zero per cent in 50 years. This is realistic," Giovanni Bisignani, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said at the group's annual conference in Vancouver this week.
Bisignani identified reducing emissions as the industry's new priority for the sector, which has revived with expected earnings of five billion dollars for 2007 after several years of losses.
But there was skepticism in the corridors of the conference hall over the practicality of reaching the zero emissions target given the relentless growth in air travel.
"With the prospects of an increasing air traffic, between aging populations of OECD countries, emerging markets and continuing globalization of business activity, this can make us sweat," said Michael Levine, a researcher at New York University.
Despite current efforts to reduce fuel consumption by 25 per cent by 2020 using existing technologies, the carbon footprint of the civil aviation industry is growing as a portion of global emissions.
The IATA is counting on scientific advances, through the efforts of air carriers and with the public sector-including governments, regulators, United Nations-imposing international standards and creating a carbon emissions trading market. "To reach zero emissions for carbon dioxide, you need fuel without carbon, that is to say a hydrogen engine," said Trung Ngo, head of communications at the Canadian airline Bombardier.