The International Air Transport Association (IATA) presented its proposals for December’s climate change talks to the UN Secretary General’s Summit on Climate Change in New York, committing the industry to three sequential targets which IATA’s director general and CEO described as “tough” targets.

The three targets – backed by all 230 IATA members – include improving carbon efficiency with a 1.5 per cent average annual improvement in fuel efficiency to 2020; stabilising emissions with carbon-neutral growth from 2020; and emissions reductions with a 50 per cent absolute cut in emissions by 2050 compared to 2005.

The forum takes place in the runup to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Copenhagen this December. The aviation sector is united in calling on world leaders to retain a global sectoral approach to reducing aviation emissions under the leadership of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), working in cooperation with the sector through IATA.

“Climate change is a global problem. Aviation is a global industry. And we need a global approach for this industrial sector if we are to deal with climate change effectively,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

“Mechanisms designed for groundbased polluters will not work effectively for aviation which can emit CO2 across borders and over the high seas even on a single flight. And already uncoordinated national and regional schemes are creating a patchwork of punitive taxes that fill government coffers, but do little or nothing to effectively manage aviation’s emissions,” said Bisignani.

“Our targets are tough. Air transport is the first industry to commit to carbonneutral growth at the global level. And we have done it with an aggressive timeline of 2020. Our four-pillar strategy of technology investment, efficient infrastructure, effective operations and positive economic measures will make our vision a reality and is already showing results. Aviation’s emissions are expected to fall seven per cent in 2009, -5 per cent as a result of the recession and two per cent directly related to the strategy.”

“IATA’s ‘Green Teams’ have saved 34 million tonnes of CO2 through operational efficiencies since 2005; our work on improving infrastructure, including shortening air routes, has saved a similar amount of CO2 since 2004. But our success depends on governments playing their part. They must implement more effective air traffic management: the introduction of NextGen air traffic management in the USA and the Single European Sky in Europe have the potential to save 41 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Governments must also create the legal and fiscal framework to support the development of sustainable biofuels for aviation,” said Bisignani.