Avinor: Greenhouse emissions to be cut by 50 percent
28-Sep-2010 International aviation, which represents 2 percent of global greenhouse emissions, is on the lookout for short and long term environmental improvements.
"The long term target is a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the period up to 2050, but for the sector it is essential that we bolster our environmental performance significantly in the next five to ten years," says Avinor group director for strategy and development, Jon Sjølander.
Sjølander has just returned to Norway from attending the airline industry's major environmental conference in Geneva, which took place from 15-17 September. Speakers and debate panels consisted of senior management from some of the world's largest airlines, airports, engine and aircraft manufacturers and aviation organizations. The sector's environmental experts and representatives from EU and US authorities were also invited to participate in the debate.
No stone unturned
"There is no doubt that the industry is taking its environmental responsibility seriously. No stone will be left unturned in the time ahead to find areas where emissions can be cut back, and a strong incentive is the fact that this is also financially beneficial. Emission cuts and cost cuts go hand in hand. This is a real advantage in terms of the work to be done ahead," says Sjølander.
Developments are moving ahead in many areas. Engines are becoming increasingly more fuel-efficient, aircraft are becoming lighter, and a lot of work is being done to put into place traffic systems that provide shorter routes and more fuel-efficient landing and take-off procedures. Also, bio fuel is no longer mere science fiction.
Urges realism
"Second-generation bio fuel is very exciting, but for the time being this is just one of several measures to strengthen our environmental performance - not a magic spell that will resolve all the challenges we are facing," says Sjølander, who also states that Avinor, along with the industry in Norway, will present a revised sustainability report (the previous one was presented in 2008) in 2011, where bio fuel will receive the required attention.
During the conference in Geneva it emerged that bio fuel satisfies industry and engine manufacturer requirements, but that there are still a number of challenges related to volume, infrastructure, production costs and transport. These are challenges that the industry cannot resolve by itself.
"High transport costs indicate that each country must establish its own bio fuel production facility. We might envision that in the long term production of bio fuel may be established at Oslo Airport Gardermoen, which is currently Norway's largest filling station," says Sjølander.
"But aviation represents only two to three percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Norway and internationally. Given a shortage of bio fuel, is it conceivable that this could be used more efficiently in other areas?"
"In the Klimakur 2020 report, which was presented this year on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment, this has been the focus of attention. It concludes that it is in aviation second-generation bio fuel can be used in the most cost-efficient manner - compared to the transport sector in general," says Sjølander.
IATA with strong criticism of authorities
IATA (the International Aviation Transport Association) and senior executive Giovanni Bisignani used the Geneva conference to strongly criticize political authorities, who he believes are behind the times.
"We have ambitions that go beyond what authorities require. The aviation industry is making constant and fast improvements, but the authorities are lagging behind in terms of infrastructure," Bisignani said.
He is concerned that the authorities will impose duties on the industry that are primarily motivated by fiscal considerations. Sjølander shares the concern and states that duties that are imposed for environmental reasons are rarely earmarked for environmental measures, but are rather considered to be regular taxes.
"Germany introduced a CO2 tax a short time ago. However, both Avinor and the international industry believe that further taxation of aviation in order to reduce air traffic will have major negative socio-economic implications. In Norway alone aviation contributes to added value in the order of 4 percent of GDP and approximately 60,000 jobs," Sjølander concludes.