IATA calls for alignment on emissions

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) challenged the aviation industry and governments to bring an aligned global approach on aviation carbon emissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference to be held December 2009 in Copenhagen. “Environmental responsibility is a core promise of aviation, alongside safety and security. But we can only deliver on that promise if Governments are aligned with all four pillars of our strategy,” IATA’s Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Giovanni Bisignani said All players in the aviation industry are united in a Four Pillar Strategy on Climate Change focused on investment in technology, effective operations, efficient infrastructure and positive economic measures. The Kyoto protocol took a sectoral approach to aviation, recognizing that the global nature of international aviation required a different solution than geographically fixed industries. “Governments must move beyond punitive economic measures, such as excessive so-called environment taxes, to focus on measures that reduce emissions in a globally coordinated effort. That was the vision of the wise drafters of the Kyoto protocol. But Governments are a long way from achieving it,” Bisignani said. (April 2, 2009)