The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reiterated the air transport industry's commitment to its ambitious agenda to reduce CO2 emissions and urged the European Union (EU) to abandon its misguided plans to include aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) commencing in 2012. IATA invited governments to join industry as committed partners in a global approach to reducing aviation's carbon emissions that could also include a global ETS or other compensation measures.

"The industry's value chain is united around ambitious targets and a clear strategy to reduce its carbon footprint. To achieve the positive economic measures, technology improvements, more efficient infrastructure and better operations necessary to meet our targets, governments need to be much more proactive stakeholders and real partners," said Tony Tyler, IATA's director general and CEO in a speech at the Greener Skies conference in Hong Kong.

Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers are committed to improving fuel efficiency by 1.5 percent annually to 2020, capping net carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth and cutting net emissions in half by 2050, compared to 2005.

"These are challenging targets. Airlines represent 2 percent of global man-made CO2 emissions. This year that is estimated to be some 650 million tonnes of CO2 emitted while carrying 2.8 billion passengers and 46 million tonnes of cargo. By 2050, the industry aspires to carry 16 billion passengers and 400 million tones of cargo with some 320 million tonnes of CO2 emissions," said Tyler.

The industry has agreed on a four-pillar strategy to achieve emissions reductions that has also been endorsed by governments through the International Civil Aviation Organization. The four pillars are investments in technology, more efficient infrastructure, more efficient operations and positive economic measures.

Source: IATA