International Air Transport Association

 

For immediate release

Date: 22 September 2009   No: 40

 

News

Airlines present climate change proposals to heads of governments

New York - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) presented its proposals for December’s climate change talks to the UN Secretary General’s Summit on Climate Change in New York. The forum takes place in the run-up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Copenhagen this December. The aviation sector is united in calling on world leaders to retain a global sectoral approach to reducing aviation emissions under the leadership of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), working in cooperation with the sector through IATA. 

“Climate change is a global problem. Aviation is a global industry. And we need a global approach for this industrial sector if we are to deal with climate change effectively,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“Mechanisms designed for ground-based polluters will not work effectively for aviation which can emit CO2 across borders and over the high seas even on a single flight. And already uncoordinated national and regional schemes are creating a patchwork of punitive taxes that fill government coffers, but do little or nothing to effectively manage aviation’s emissions,” said Bisignani.

“The Kyoto Protocol directed states to address aviation through ICAO. Its global standards and cooperation with industry have made air transport the safest form of travel. A global sectoral approach for aviation can leverage this same leadership to deliver results for aviation and the environment,” said Bisignani.

The aviation industry presented a paper outlining the industry’s commitment to three sequential targets.

1. Improving carbon efficiency with a 1.5% average annual improvement in fuel efficiency to 2020
2. Stabilizing emissions with carbon-neutral growth from 2020
3. Emissions reductions with a 50% absolute cut in emissions by 2050 compared to 2005

 “Our targets are tough. Air transport is the first industry to commit to carbon-neutral growth at the global level. And we have done it with an aggressive timeline of 2020. Our four-pillar strategy of technology investment, efficient infrastructure, effective operations and positive economic measures will make our vision a reality and is already showing results. Aviation’s emissions are expected to fall 7% in 2009 - 5% as a result of the recession and 2% directly related to the strategy. IATA’s ‘Green Teams’ have saved 34 million tonnes of CO2 through operational efficiencies since 2005; our work on improving infrastructure, including shortening air routes, has saved a similar amount of CO2 since 2004. But our success depends on governments playing their part. They must implement more effective air traffic management: the introduction of NextGen air traffic management in the USA and the Single European Sky in Europe have the potential to save 41 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Governments must also create the legal and fiscal framework to support the development of sustainable biofuels for aviation,” said Bisignani.

The paper also outlined guiding principles to ensure that the global sectoral approach results in emissions reductions, retains funds for investment in environmental initiatives for aviation, preserves a level playing field, provides access to global carbon markets and ensures that airlines cover the environmental cost of their emissions.

“Aviation is unique in its ability to move globally as a sector - from safety to e-ticketing. Retaining a global sectoral approach at Copenhagen will deliver the best results in managing reductions in aviation’s emissions,” said Bisignani.

-IATA-

Contact:
Anthony Concil
Director Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org 

Notes for Editors:

  • IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 230 airlines comprising 93% of scheduled international air traffic.
  • The UN Leadership Forum on Climate Change is taking place in the UN HQ in New York on 22nd September 2009. It is the official launch of the Secretary General’s Summit on Climate Change.
  • The purpose of the Forum is to build positive political momentum towards the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Copenhagen this December, by demonstrating explicit private sector support for bold climate action to Heads of State and Government. It is expected that business and civil society leaders will:
    • Make the case to Heads of State and Government that the private sector has a strong interest in the negotiation of a balanced and effective global climate change treaty;
    • Demonstrate that the private sector is already taking action to move to a low-carbon economy and that solutions to the climate crisis are available; and
    • Commit to taking action to address climate change – individually and in partnership with the UN and civil society.
  • Principles of a global sectoral approach
    • International aviation should be included in the post-Kyoto framework
    • Aviation should be treated as a separate sector rather than by country
    • Aviation emissions should be accounted for at a global level
    • Any scheme should cover CO2 emissions from aircraft, consistent with the Kyoto protocol. Once more is known about non–CO2 impacts, a new policy should be developed. 
    • The sector should be held accountable and pay only once for its emissions 
    • Revenues from economic measures such as emissions trading must be earmarked for environmental purposes. Some of this might be used to support the development of more fuel efficient aircraft or sustainable biofuels.
    • Allow full and unrestricted access to all available abatement measures outside the aviation sector and to carbon markets 
    • All airlines/carriers must be treated equally
  • The Airlines delegation to the forum consists of IATA members Willie Walsh (British Airways), Mats Jansson (SAS Group), Pierre Caussade (Air France–KLM), Chris Schroeder (Qatar Airways) and Paul Steele (IATA)
  • Download the joint industry paper (pdf)

International Air Transport Association
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IATA Press Release

International Air Transport Association

 

For immediate release

Date: 8 December 2009   No: 54

 

News

Halving Emissions by 2050
-Aviation Brings its Targets to Copenhagen-

Copenhagen - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) brought the aviation industry’s environmental goals to Copenhagen. Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers are calling for a global approach to reducing aviation emissions and are united in a commitment: to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2020; to stabilize carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth; and to a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared to 2005.

“We are the only global industry coming to Copenhagen with a strong track record and a commitment to cut our emissions in half by 2050.These goals clearly show that the aviation industry is even ahead of its regulators in its approach to climate change,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, as he presented the industry position to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen.

Bisignani’s presentation was part of an official side meeting hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s specialized agency for aviation. The Kyoto protocol gives ICAO the responsibility for aviation’s international emissions. Throughout ICAO’s 65-year history, it has worked with industry to create the global standards that governments around the world have implemented to ensure that aviation is safe, secure and efficient and environmentally responsible.

Bisignani urged governments to act. “The only way that we can meet our targets is by working in cooperation with governments through ICAO. I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a Global Sectoral Approach that will enable the aviation industry to deliver real results against concrete targets,” said Bisignani.

A Global Sectoral Approach, through ICAO, to manage aviation’s emissions will ensure a level playing field. The approach consists of three main elements:

  • Full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state
  • Global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions
  • Access to global carbon markets

Accommodating the Needs of Developing Nations

A Global Sectoral Approach through ICAO can accommodate the needs of developed and developing nations. “A good precedent is when ICAO tackled the tough issue of noise, working with the industry. We set global standards that accommodated the needs of developed and developing nations. Today air transport is 75% quieter than four decades ago. Working together in a similar way, we can meet our environmental challenges,” said Bisignani.

A Strategy Already Delivering Results

The aviation industry is already working towards its climate change goals through its four pillar strategy. The strategy focuses on investing in new technology, flying smarter, building efficient infrastructure, and taking advantage of positive economic measures.

“This united industry strategy is not just words. Shortening routes, spreading best practice in fuel management and using more efficient ways to land are among the measures that we are implementing to reduce emissions. Since 2004, our four pillar strategy has saved over 70 million tonnes of CO2. Last year aviation’s carbon footprint was just under 670 million tonnes of CO2. That will shrink by 7% this year—5% from the recession and 2% as a direct result of our strategy,” said Bisignani.

Looking forward, Bisignani highlighted the potential of sustainable biofuels. “A few years ago they were a dream. Today we can say that five airlines have tested them successfully. They are safe and they have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint by up to 80% over the lifecycle of the fuel. We expect certification by 2011 at the latest. We have been diligent with our homework. Now governments must create the right legal and fiscal frameworks to support their commercialization and distribution,” said Bisignani.

View Giovanni Bisignani’s speech

-IATA-

Contact:
Anthony Concil
Director Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org 

Notes for Editors:

  • IATA is the global association for the airline industry. IATA’s 230 member airlines comprise 93% of scheduled international traffic.
  • The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is the specialized UN agency for international civil aviation. 
  • In October 2009 ICAO convened a high level meeting on environment. The meeting confirmed the desire of governments to deal with aviation and climate change through ICAO. The meeting concluded with a declaration with the following commitments:
    1. States to work together to achieve a global annual average fuel efficiency improvement of 2% to 2050
    2. ICAO and its contracting states to evaluate the possibility of more ambitious goals by the next ICAO Assembly (2010), taking into consideration industry’s collective commitments and the special needs of developing nations
    3. ICAO to establish the process to develop a framework for economic measures
    4. ICAO and its contracting states to encourage the development and use of sustainable biofuels

International Air Transport Association
800 Place Victoria, P.O. Box 113 Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4Z 1M1.

 

 

  About Us   |   Membership   |   Work Groups   |   Areas of Activity   |   Services & Solutions   |   Events   |   Training   |   Pressroom

 

IMPORTANT PRIVACY INFORMATION: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) does not sell or rent your email address to any third party. You received this email message due to your membership, participation or interest in IATA. IATA sends various advertisements, promotions and special announcements regarding products and services that we feel may be of interest to you. 

This message was sent by IATA using Responsys Interact.

 

 

 © Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us