Leaders of the aviation industry meeting in Geneva, have sent a reminder to governments around the world of the vital role the sector plays in economic growth, providing jobs whilst taking its environmental responsibilities seriously.
Chief Executives and Directors General from 16 global aviation companies and organisations signed the Aviation & Environment Summit’s Declaration as a joint message to world governments due to meet at Rio de Janeiro for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in June.
Boeing, Airbus and Embraer also signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on the development of drop-in, affordable aviation biofuels. The airframe manufacturers agreed to seek collaborative opportunities to speak in unity to government, biofuel producers and other key stakeholders to support, promote and accelerate the availability of sustainable new jet fuel sources.
"There are times to compete and there are times to cooperate," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh. "Two of the biggest threats to our industry are the price of oil and the impact of commercial air travel on our environment. By working with Airbus and Embraer on sustainable biofuels, we can accelerate their availability and reduce our industry's impacts on the planet we share."
The collaboration agreement supports the industry's multi-pronged approach to continuously reduce the industry's carbon emissions. Continuous innovation, spurred by competitive market dynamics that push each manufacturer to continuously improve product performance, and air traffic modernization, are other critical elements to achieving carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020 and halving industry emissions by 2050 based on 2005 levels.
"Having these three aviation leaders set aside their competitive differences and work together in support of biofuel development, underscores the importance and focus the industry is placing on sustainable practices," said ATAG Executive Director Paul Steele. "Through these types of broad industry collaboration agreements, aviation is doing all it can to drive measurable reductions in carbon emissions, while continuing to provide strong global economic and social value."
All three companies are affiliate members of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, which includes 23 leading airlines responsible for about 25 percent of annual aviation fuel use. Boeing and Embraer are already collaborating on how to establish a sustainable aviation biofuels industry in Brazil and exploring new technology pathways to broaden biofuel sourcing and availability. Boeing and Airbus are also active around the globe in helping to establish regional supply chains, while the three manufacturers have all supported numerous biofuel flights since global fuel standards bodies granted their approval for commercial use in 2011.
The industry leaders, representing airports, airlines, air navigation service providers and the makers of aircraft and engines, signed the declaration in a show of unity on the issue of sustainable development. Paul Steele, Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), the organisation coordinating the Summit, said that the declaration shows that aviation takes its role in sustainable development seriously. “Sustainable development – and the Rio+20 process – is about finding ways to balance the needs of growing economies and higher standards of living across society with the need to more carefully manage the resources we are using and the impact that we have on the world. I am pleased to say that aviation is committed to doing just that.
“In 2008, we were the first global sector to commit to global cross-industry action on climate change. That declaration set the agenda for cooperative action across the aviation industry to reduce fuel use and emissions. The cooperation between industry partners and the projects underway are impressive. They have led to millions of tonnes of avoided carbon emissions. Our commitment was taken up by governments and received support from the Secretary General of the United Nations as a path forward for other industries to follow. Today, we are able to expand that commitment to take account of our other impacts – the positive role we play in economic and social terms.”
The declaration says: “Aviation brings enormous benefits to communities and economies around the globe. It is a key enabler of economic growth and social development and provides connectivity and access to markets and tourism. Air transport, currently supporting 56.6 million jobs and over $2.2 trillion of global GDP with a strong track record of fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions savings, is a strategic contributor to sustainable development.”
The declaration was signed by the heads of associations representing the world’s airports (Airports Council International), airlines (International Air Transport Association), air navigation service providers (Civil Air Navigation Service Providers Organisation) and the CEOs of Airbus, Boeing, ATR, Bombardier, CFM International, Embraer, GE Aviation, Honeywell Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce.
Article Source : Arabian Aerospace
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