Airline sector aims for zero emissions by 2050

VANCOUVER: The airline sector must aim for zero carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050, an industry association says, but not everyone is heeding its call for a joint effort by aircraft manufacturers, carriers and public authorities.   

"We have to move all forward in the same direction" toward reducing CO2 emissions to zero per cent, the International Air Transport Association said in Vancouver Monday at the annual IATA conference.   

However, the challenge met with some scepticism.   

"With the prospects of an increasing air traffic, between aging populations of OECD countries, emerging markets and continuing globalization of business activity, this can make us sweat," said Michael Levine, a researcher at New York University.   

According to IATA, despite current efforts to reduce fuel consumption by 25 per cent by 2020, the carbon footprint of the civil aviation industry will grow to three per cent in 2050 from the current two per cent.   

"There's no way we can pretend we're so special we have the right to pollute. But there is no sense to aim for zero per cent. Our issue is to be responsible," Levine said.   

IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani outlined a three-pronged effort needed to achieve the zero-emission goal: technology, aircraft makers and public authorities, regulators and governments.   

"I'm sure research can find the way to achieve zero percent in 50 years," Bisignani said.   

"When you consider clean-fuel technologies, we can already achieve some fuel efficiencies. It's up to governments to put all that together," he said.   

"We have to transform this vision into reality, working with the different actors of this industry. ... We need a global scheme, a common approach to technologies."    

On the aircraft manufacturing front, some advances toward greater fuel efficiency have been made in the next generation of aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 and the Airbus 350 and 380.   

"We're evolving on the right path," said Robert Milton, head of Air Canada.