Aviation Industry Wants Carbon Offset Scheme

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A blue-chip consortium of aircraft manufacturers, aviation groups and associated industry companies and organizations is calling for a global carbon offsetting program to make aviation carbon neutral by 2020 and to “halve aviation’s net emissions by 2050, compared with a 2005 baseline.” At the Global Sustainable Aviation Summit in Geneva last week, the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) issued an open letter to world governments suggesting they pay more for research into technological and procedural improvements to nibble away at the millions of tons of carbon created by aircraft engines every year but their real request is for an offsetting scheme rather than the carbon tax that many governments have already implemented in other sectors. “In the industry’s view, a single global carbon offsetting scheme offers the swiftest and most effective approach,” the letter says.

The industry letter also puts the onus on governments to get moving on the carbon offset scheme ahead of next year’s International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) general meeting in Paris. Climate change will be the focus of the meeting and the letter, signed by the CEOs of every major airliner manufacturer, engine maker and the groups that represent them, reminds the governments that there’s only a year to get working on their plan. ATAG also points out that industry has spent trillions of dollars on new technologically advanced aircraft that create fewer carbon emissions. “As a result of billions of dollars of investment and collaborative action already taken by the industry, a passenger today produces half the CO2 per kilometre flown compared to 1990,” the letter reads. “This is significant progress. But we recognise that more needs to be done.”

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