Aviation emissions 'set to go down this year'

The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) has revealed that it is expecting aviation emissions to go down this year.

Paul Steele, executive director of the Air Transport Action Group, highlighted the importance of the aviation industry, saying that it is a "major driver of global economic activity".

He also challenged the commonly held view that emissions from the sector are constantly going up.

"In the current environment, due to economic downturn, we are expecting aviation emissions to fall this year and possibly below 2005 levels," Mr Steele said.

The ATAG director referred to figures from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change showing that aviation accounts for two per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, pointing out that other industries have more of an effect on the environment.

"The aviation sector is quite high profile and it is very visible in terms of a service. There are many other industries that produce a greater amount of CO2 than aviation, whose emissions are also growing," he commented.

British government representatives will travel to Copenhagen in December to attend a United Nations conference on climate change.

Ahead of the meeting, the government has been advised by the Committee on Climate Change that aviation emissions should be capped as part of a worldwide environmental strategy.

Posted by Mike, 15 September 2009 14:05

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