Comment
We hear you on emissions, industry says
October 1st 2020
Aviation’s contribution to global warming has long been subject to controversy with airlines a primary target of environmentalists. Read More » This situation has persisted despite the fact aviation is the only global industry with ambitious targets for reducing emissions and achieving long-term sustainability.
COVID-19’s ruinous financial impact on airline operations, bringing international flying in particular to a virtual standstill, presents a good reason for carriers to put their environmental obligations aside as they struggle to survive. But this has not happened.
The Air Transport Action Group’s (ATAG) 2020 Global Sustainable Aviation Forum - Green Recovery, an online conference held at the turn of the month, was proof of aviation’s commitment to emissions reductions. The summit brought together leaders from all sectors of aviation. They discussed critical environmental issues related to the sustainability of the industry and its green recovery post the pandemic.
Airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, airports and suppliers are recommitting to their sustainability goals despite the immense pressure of surviving the COVID-19 crisis.
Present times may be bad, but as Britain’s Prince Charles warned last month, ultimately the climate crisis will “dwarf” the impact of the pandemic. There may be a horrendous number of coronavirus fatalities, frustrating lockdowns and international border closures, but people increasingly are worried about the effects of global warming even in pandemic times.
A Globescan poll recently conducted across 27 countries showed 90% of people regarded climate change as a very serious or somewhat serious problem and that these beliefs had strengthened in the last few years.
There is absolutely no doubt there is an increase in extreme weather events and temperature changes on every continent in the world. This situation alone is sufficient reason for airlines and the industry in general to maintain their focus on working to reduce the impact of emissions from aviation.
Scores of thousands of jobs are disappearing at airlines and across the spectrum of their suppliers, but when the pandemic passes and growth returns to some form of predictability, whether that will be in 2024, as the International Air Transport Association is forecasting, or beyond, the challenge of mitigating climate damage from aviation will not have gone away. In fact, it will have become more important as aviation’s target of a 50% reduction in emissions, against 2005 levels, draws ever closer.
TOM BALLANTYNE
Associate editor and chief correspondent
Orient Aviation Media Group
