Frequent flyers with a conscience will be feeling a little uneasy today following the revelation that airlines are pumping around 20 per cent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than initial estimates suggested.
In an unpublished report commissioned by the United Nations, the world’s leading experts regarding all things climate change envisage total aviation emissions reaching up to nearly 1.5 billion tonnes annually by the year 2025. ‘Trends in Global Noise and Emissions From Commercial Aviation for 2000 to 2025′, was presented at the USA/Europe Air Traffic Management Seminar last year in Barcelona.
The UK’s CO2’s for transport, not including flying, currently stands at 96 million tonnes per annum; with air traffic that increases to 133.5 million tonnes. With no immediate plans by the government or the aviation industry to curb the growth of airline travel it looks as though flying could grow from 2 per cent of all global Co2’s to 5 per cent by 2050. A number of qualified bodies including Eurocontrol and the Manchester Metropolitan University collectively agree that air emissions, currently standing at 670 million tonnes a year will rise to an estimated 1.48 billion tonnes by 2025, unless something is done to prevent such rapid expansion. Anomalously, the aviation industry is exempt from the Kyoto protocol on reducing greenhouse gasses.
“Growth of CO2 emissions on this scale will comfortably outstrip any gains made by improved technology and ensure aviation is an even larger contributor to global warming by 2025 than previously thought,” commented Jeff Gazzard from the Aviation Environment Federation. “Governments must take action to put a cap on air transport’s unrestrained growth.”
The International Air Transport Association said it was working with the 240 airlines it represents in order to curtail emissions by setting binding regulations. “With fuel costs doubling in the last year, airlines have an incentive to work towards greater efficiency,” said a spokesperson. “Aviation is a benchmark of environmental responsibility for others to follow.”
References:
United Nations
USA/Europe Air Traffic Management Seminar PDF
Eurocontrol
Manchester Metropolitan University
Kyoto protocol
Aviation Environment Federation
International Air Transport Association
