Airports confident that national aviation climate target can be met without demand limits
08-Dec-2009 Responding at the AOA’s Annual Conference to today’s report by the CCC, Executive Chairman Ed Anderson said “we welcome the challenge from the CCC and have confidence that we can meet the Government’s target of 2005 level emissions by 2050. We have confident in new technology. UK airports, airlines and the aerospace industry are at the forefront of developing ground-breaking solutions. We have already seen a 70% improvement in carbon emissions in the last 40 years.”
Mr Anderson added that "we believe limiting emissions is the answer rather than limiting people's ability to travel. From 2012 CO2 emissions from UK flights will be included in the EU carbon cap and trade scheme, meaning that any increase above the 2005 baseline will have to be matched by equivalent reductions elsewhere, paid for by the aviation industry."
AOA, and 20 UK airports, have joined with other members of Sustainable Aviation, the UK's leading aviation environmental body, to write to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband and the Chairman of the Committee on Climate Change, Lord Turner. The letter makes this pledge:
"Today we stand together again as an industry and confirm our confidence that UK aviation targets will be achieved through;
- Further advances in engine and airframe technology;
- Continuing innovation in air traffic management and operational efficiencies; and
- Developing lower carbon sustainable fuels which do not compete with food crops and do not lead to deforestation, on which significant progress is being made."
"Limiting growth in the UK will not deliver emissions reductions globally. If UK passenger numbers were capped at today's levels then by 2020 the UK economy could be foregoing over £25 billion a year in wealth creation, and more than £10 billion in tax revenues, as well as up to 600,000 jobs across the economy. Demand management is a flawed approach.
"It is crucial for us to acknowledge that climate change, and aviation's emissions, are most effectively and successfully addressed at the international level. Copenhagen presents a unique opportunity for politicians to make important headway on climate change: and we urge them to achieve a global deal on aviation emissions.