COP 15: Day 6 Highlights

Boeing 787 Flies After Two Years Of Delays

December 15, 2009

Boeing’s new lightweight carbon and titanium 787 lifted off a runway for the first time into cloudy skies on Tuesday after more than two years of delays.

The 787 Dreamliner’s highly anticipated flight was witnessed by several thousand Boeing employees, industry VIPs, plane enthusiasts and reporters, but excitement and relief rippled throughout the aerospace industry.

“This really sends the message that this is a real aircraft. It’ll take time but this provides badly needed stability for the programme,” said Richard Aboulafia, aerospace analyst at research firm Teal Group.

“Given the endless delays and the original somewhat premature roll-out, Boeing needed to show that it had a real live performing aircraft on its hands,” Aboulafia said.

The plane, which Boeing has said will save airlines million of dollars in fuel and maintenance costs, has been hampered by a shortage of bolts, faulty design and a two-month strike at its factory.

Airlines like the concept of the mid-sized plane that can carry some 250 very long distances. They have ordered 840 of the aircraft, worth about USD$140 billion, since 2004, when work began on the plane.

But production has been delayed five times in the past three years, and the first flight has been postponed six times, stretching customers’ patience.

Rival Airbus has been attracting buyers for its competing A350 plane, which will also be made primarily from carbon-composite materials.

Exactly how much profit Boeing can expect to make from the plane is uncertain. Analysts have said the company has invested more than USD$10 billion in the project, and will have to give some sort of compensation to customers for late planes. How late the planes will be, and how they will perform will not be known until flight tests have been completed.

“It’s a major step-off point to the ultimate goal which is certification and customer delivery. It’s an important milestone but it’s not the end goal,” Clay Jones, chief executive of Rockwell Collins, told the Reuters Aerospace & Defence Summit in Washington.

Rockwell makes display systems, communications and surveillance systems and pilot controls systems for the 787.

ROUND-THE-CLOCK TESTS

The four-hour test flight of the 787, painted with Boeing’s blue and white logo, began at Paine Field adjacent to its factory in Everett 30 miles north of Seattle. It will fly around the Puget Sound and inland Washington state. The aircraft will land at Boeing Field in Seattle.

The flight begins at least nine months of airborne tests that will involve six 787s running around the clock, which Boeing executives have said will be like running a small airline.

But its test pilots will push the plane well beyond limits expected in ordinary commercial flights, practicing mid-air stalls, dives and steep banks, as well as seeking out extremes of heat and cold.

“It certainly takes one more element of uncertainty out of the mix,” said Scott Kuechle, chief financial officer at Goodrich. Goodrich makes systems such as thrust reversers and brakes for the 787.

Kuechle said Goodrich investors have been obsessed with the 787 in recent years and that delays have been frustrating. But he said he never doubted the 787 would fly.

“It’s just one more milestone along the way,” Kuechle said.

Boeing has said the first 787 should be delivered to Japan’s All Nippon Airways in the fourth quarter of next year, more than two years after the original target of May 2008. But analysts agree that test flights will take more than a year.

NEW ISSUES

The plane has been beset by problems partly because of the new materials being used and extensive outsourcing.

Early delays were due to shortages of parts and the difficulties of bringing together fuselage and wing structures from Japan, Italy and elsewhere in the United States, aggravated by a two-month strike last year.

The most recent delay was potentially more serious, as Boeing needed to reinforce the side of the plane where the wing meets the fuselage.

The revolutionary use of carbon fibre and the problems of joining it to other materials mean there is still plenty of risk that Boeing’s new plane will hit new snags in the air.

“Just as they (Boeing) found hurdles on the way to first flight, they are going to find hurdles on the way to certification,” said Aboulafia.

(Reuters)

CHRONOLOGY – Boeing’s Troubled 787

December 15, 2009

Boeing is set to make the first test flight of its long-delayed 787 Dreamliner on Tuesday — more than two years after the first target date in the summer of 2007.

The No. 2 plane-maker behind Airbus has been struggling with a range of supply, manufacturing and design problems, made worse by a two-month strike at Boeing’s Seattle-area plants last year.

The following events show the slow and bumpy progress of the revolutionary, carbon composite aircraft, which is key to Boeing’s financial success.

2002 – Boeing drops its “Sonic Cruiser” concept, responding to airlines’ calls for better fuel efficiency rather than extra speed.

June 2003 – Dubs its new, carbon-composite plane the “Dreamliner”

Dec 2003 – Approves an initial version of the plane with the temporary name 7E7, the E standing for “efficiency”

April 2004 – officially launches the plane as Japan’s All Nippon Airways orders 50

Dec 2004 – Ends 2004 with 56 orders for the new plane, fewer than it had expected

Jan 2005 – Gives plane official designation 787

Dec 2005 – Ends year with 232 orders for 787s, for a running total of 288

July 2006 – Popularity of 787 design forces Airbus to go back to drawing board on its competing A350, relaunching it as A350 XWB (extra wide body)

Dec 2006 – Boeing ends year with 160 orders for 787s, for running total of 448

Jan 2007 – Unconfirmed talk of some 787 suppliers falling behind schedule sends Boeing shares lower. Boeing CEO Jim McNerney says plane on target for first test flight around end of August 2007 and first delivery May 2008

May 2007 – Starts to put together first 787 in Everett, Washington.

June 2007 – Reports surface at Paris Air Show that 787 is up to four months late. Boeing says first test flight may slip to September 2007, while still on schedule for first delivery in May 2008

July 8, 2007 – Gleaming shell of first 787 rolled out in front of 15,000 ecstatic employees and customers at Everett

July 25, 2007 – Boeing shares hit all-time high of USD$107.80, boosted by strong 787 orders. Company admits plane running slightly behind in certain areas but holds to schedule

Sept 2007 – Boeing puts back first test flight by about three months because of a shortage of bolts and problems with flight control software. Shifts flight target to mid-November to mid-December 2007; keeps May 2008 delivery target

Oct 2007 – Announces longer delay, due to continued production problems, pushing first test flight to end-March 2008 and putting back first delivery by about six months to late November or December 2008

Oct 2007 – 787 programme head Mike Bair replaced by Pat Shanahan from Boeing’s defence unit

Dec 2007 – Boeing says 787 sticking to revised schedule; ends year with 369 orders for the plane in 2007, for running total of 817

Jan 2008 – After two weeks of rumours, Boeing announces a further three-month delay due to problems with unnamed suppliers and slow assembly progress at Everett plant. Pushes back test flight to end-June 2008 and first delivery to early 2009, making plane about nine months behind original schedule

March 2008 – Admits it had to redesign centre wing box to make it stronger

April 2008 – Announces third major delay due to continuing problems with unfinished work from suppliers. Sets first test flight for fourth quarter 2008 and first delivery for third quarter 2009, about 15 months behind original schedule

June 2008 – Boeing completes “power-on” testing on first 787, bringing the plane’s electrical systems to life. It is the first public milestone the company has hit on the programme.

August – First cancellation of a 787 order, by Azerbaijan Airlines

Sept 6, 2008 – Boeing’s assembly workers go on strike over contract terms, shutting down Boeing’s Seattle-area plants. They return to work in early November after 58 days out.

Nov 4, 2008 – Boeing says first flight delayed by strike, will not happen until 2009

Dec 11, 2008 – Boeing announces fourth major delay, due to strike and continuing fastener problems. Says first flight now set for second quarter of 2009 and first delivery in first quarter of 2010, making plane about two years late

Dec. 31, 2008 – Boeing ends year with 93 orders for 787s, making a running total of 910

Jan 2009 – Russia’s S7 becomes first major airline to cancel orders for 787, walking away from deal to buy 15 planes worth USD$2.4 billion. More cancellations follow

June – Boeing reports 59 total cancellations for 787s, with net orders for 866 planes.

June 23, 2009 – Announces fifth delay due to side panel issue

Aug 27, 2009 – Sets new timetable, with first flight by end of 2009 and first delivery in fourth quarter of 2010

Aug 31, 2009 – Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief Scott Carson announces retirement at end of the year, is replaced immediately by Jim Albaugh, head of Boeing’s defence business

Nov 12, 2009 – Boeing completes installing reinforcements within the side-of-body section on the first 787.

Dec. 10, 2009 — Boeing opens flight-test window starting Dec. 15.

(Reuters)

Airlines To Lose USD$5.6 Bln In 2010 – IATA

December 15, 2009

The world’s airlines are set to lose USD$5.6 billion next year, more than previously estimated, with rising fuel costs offsetting a rebound in both passenger and air cargo, the industry group IATA said on Tuesday.

In its latest outlook, the International Air Transport Association reaffirmed its projection of a USD$11 billion loss in 2009 — a year its chief Giovanni Bisignani called “an Annus Horribilis” for the highly cyclical sector.

“The worst is likely behind us,” Bisignani said. “For 2010, some key statistics are moving in the right direction.”

IATA, whose 230 members include Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, United Airlines and Emirates, had previously said the global airline industry would lose USD$3.8 billion next year.

Renewed consumer confidence should increase the number of people travelling by air next year back to the 2007 peak, Bisignani said. IATA also suggested air cargo volumes would rise quickly in 2010 as businesses push to replenish their stocks.

“Cargo demand is rising faster than world trade as depleted inventories are rebuilt,” it said in a statement. “Once the inventory cycle completes, growth is expected to fall back in line with world trade.”

Crude oil prices should reach an average of USD$75 per barrel in 2010, up from the USD$61.80 average for 2009, IATA said.

“As a percentage of operating costs, fuel will be 26 percent in 2010. This is considerably lower than the 32 percent of operating costs that fuel comprised in 2008, but twice the 13 percent of operating costs that fuel represented in 2001-2002.”

European carriers are on track to generate the largest losses of any region, USD$2.5 billion, while Asian-Pacific carriers are due to show the most dramatic improvement with losses of USD$700 million, according to the Geneva-based body.

North American airlines will see their losses shrink to USD$2 billion, with Latin American carriers the only profitable regional grouping, it said.

Earlier this month IATA said that 75 major airlines reported a combined net profit of USD$700 million in the third quarter, up from a USD$3.4 billion loss in that period in 2008.

The darkened IATA outlook for 2010 reflects the experiences of leading carriers and airport operators who have said they are seeing signs the worst may have passed for the global economy, though recovery could come slowly.

Air France-KLM this month said a “more dynamic” cargo sector supported signs of a slow recovery and Lufthansa said air freight volumes were continuing to improve.

Passenger numbers at Frankfurt Airport have also risen as a result of higher demand on routes to America and Asia, the operator Fraport said.

(Reuters)

Thai Airport Operator To Spend USD$2.3 Bln

December 9, 2009

Airports of Thailand, the country’s main airport operator, said it planned to spend THB76.5 billion baht (USD$2.3 billion) in 2010-2016 to expand the capacity of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport.

It planned to boost annual handling capacity at the capital’s main airport to 80 million passengers, which should be enough to accommodate rising air traffic volume until 2019, it said in a statement late on Tuesday.

The company has said the airport carries almost 40 million passengers a year and its current capacity is 45 million.

In October the AOT board approved a THB9.13 billion budget to build a domestic passenger terminal from 2010-2013, which would increase capacity to 65 million passengers a year.

Majority state-owned AOT operates the country’s six main airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Phuket, which handle around 90 percent of air traffic in the country.

(Reuters)

Prime Minister of Malaysia special message video for the United Nationas Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen 2009

Environmental analysis news: Aviation industry ‘will take a global approach’ to emissions

Individual governments should not set targets for emissions reductions within the aviation industry, it has been asserted.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has stated that it believes the only way to tackle the problem is with a global solution.

Quentin Browell, a spokesperson for the IATA, explained that the industry is already taking steps to lower its emissions.

“There is a lot of ignorance about aviation emissions and the measures we are taking to reduce them,” he said.

Mr Browell added that his organisation is making presentations to governments around the world not only to explain the problem but to outline the steps being taken towards CO2 reduction and to promote a global approach.

The IATA also stated that it supports recommendations made by the Climate Change Committee relating to the increased use of high-speed rail links in place of short-haul flights.

These sentiments were echoed by a report published by the House of Commons’ Transport Committee which put forward plans to create a high-speed rail network across the UK.

Posted by Joseph HuttonADNFCR-1845-ID-19502938-ADNFCR

http://www.envirotech-online.com/news/air-monitoring/6/breaking_news/environmental_analysis_news_aviation_industry_will_take_a_global_approach_to_emissions/7502/

Aviation only industry committed to halve emissions by 2050

By EMMIE V. ABADILLA
December 10, 2009, 3:16pm

Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers calling for a global approach to reduce aviation emissions have brought the industry’s environmental goals to Copenhagen.

“We are the only global industry coming to Copenhagen with a strong track record and a commitment to cut our emissions in half by 2050,” maintained International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani.

The industry has committed to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2020, to stabilize carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth; and to a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared to 2005 .

“These goals clearly show that the aviation industry is even ahead of its regulators in its approach to climate change,” he stressed as he presented the industry position to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen.

The presentation was part of an official side meeting hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s specialized agency for aviation. The Kyoto protocol gives ICAO the responsibility for aviation’s international emissions. Throughout ICAO’s 65-year history, it has worked with industry to create the global standards that governments around the world have implemented to ensure that aviation is safe, secure and efficient and environmentally responsible.

“The only way that we can meet our targets is by working in cooperation with governments through ICAO,” Bisignani declared. Hence, “I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a Global Sectoral Approach that will enable the aviation industry to deliver real results against concrete targets.”

The global sectoral approach ensures a level playing field and consists of three main elements: 1-Full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state, 2-Global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions and 3-Access to global carbon markets.

First of all, the approach through ICAO, can accommodate the needs of developed and developing nations. “A good precedent is when ICAO tackled the tough issue of noise, working with the industry.

We set global standards that accommodated the needs of developed and developing nations. Today air transport is 75% quieter than four decades ago. Working together in a similar way, we can meet our environmental challenges,” the IATA CEO explained.

Already, the aviation sector is working towards its climate change goals through its four pillar strategy. The strategy focuses on investing in new technology, flying smarter, building efficient infrastructure, and taking advantage of positive economic measures.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/233340/aviation-only-industry-committed-halve-emissions-2050

ICAO – Uniting International Aviation on Climate Change

Press Release | Dec 8, 2009 10:13PM GMT
The Journal of Commerce Online – Press Release

Montreal, 8 December 2009 – “ Under ICAO’s leadership, aviation has produced the first, and to date, only globally-harmonized agreement designed to address climate change on a global basis from a specific sector and ICAO is in the best position to effectively and systematically address the impact of international aircraft emissions on climate change,” said Roberto Kobeh González, President of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council today at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen.

“The remarkable progress of aviation in reducing the impact of engine emissions over the past 40 years is the result of consensus building and cooperation among the 190 Member States of ICAO and sustained efforts of the air transport industry,” he added.

“We look to the outcome of COP 15 to deliver an agreement that acknowledges the importance of all States working through ICAO towards the achievement of an environmentally sustainable aviation,” he emphasized.

In October, a high-level meeting of ICAO Member States representing 93% of global commercial air traffic reached agreement on further reducing aviation’s impact on climate change, in cooperation with the air transport industry, through:

1. A global goal of 2 % annual improvement in fuel efficiency until the year 2050;
2. Development of a global CO2 standard for aircraft;
3. Development of a framework for market-based measures in international aviation;
4. Submission of States’ action plans and annual reporting on CO2 emissions to ICAO; and
5. Measures to assist developing States and to facilitate access to financial resources, technology transfer and capacity-building.

This agreement will be submitted in the fall of 2010 to the ICAO Assembly, the plenary body of the 190 Members States, as part of the continuous drive to facilitate internationally harmonized solutions.

In addition, an ICAO global framework on the development and implementation of alternative fuels, particularly drop-in fuels, for aviation worldwide was adopted in November. This development has positioned aviation to be the first sector to use sustainable alternative fuels on a global basis.

“According to the IPCC fourth assessment report, total CO2 emissions from the aviation sector account for approximately 2% of global emissions from human activity about 60% of which is related to international air travel. The projected growth in public demand for air transport in the years to come could exceed our capability to limit the impact of air travel on climate change unless we continue this progressive course of developing and implementing bold and effective solutions,” Kobeh said.

“Based on the tangible global results the ICAO process has achieved thus far, I am convinced that the best approach to effectively addressing aviation climate effects is by the States of the world working through the global forum that is ICAO to further develop an environmentally sustainable international aviation system.” he concluded.

http://www.joc.com/node/415156

Air Industry Seeks Global Approach To Climate Change

10 December 2009 – As world leaders this week gathered in Copenhagen to seek consensus on how to combat climate change, airlines, airports and other air industry constituents called on them to adopt a “global sectoral approach” to minimizing aviation’s environmental impact. Left off the agenda during climate change negotiations 12 years ago in Kyoto, the aviation industry, through the International Air Transport Association and International Civil Aviation Organization, has set its own emissions reductions targets and favors inclusion in any global climate change agreement (or a promise of future inclusion). The industry insists on a global aviation framework, to be overseen by ICAO, rather than regional plans, like the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme, which is scheduled to include aviation from 2012.
Both individually and as part of various trade groups and industry associations, airlines already have charted progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. They have retired or sold off gas-guzzling aircraft in favor of more fuel-efficient planes, started experimenting with jet fuel alternatives, cut routing distances, refined landing procedures, developed voluntary offset programs for customers and enacted many other operational changes. “Over the last 40 years, fuel efficiency improved by 70 percent,” said IATA director general Giovanni Bisignani, speaking this week during an ICAO meeting in Copenhagen held in conjunction with the United Nations Climate Change conference. “Last year, aviation’s carbon footprint was just under 670 million tons of CO2. That will shrink by 7 percent this year–5 percent from the recession and 2 percent as a direct result” of IATA and ICAO’s multipronged emissions reduction strategy.
According to a September statement by British Airways CEO Willie Walsh, the Copenhagen conference “represents a historic opportunity for aviation to join the mainstream of the world’s efforts to combat climate change. International aviation emissions were not included in the Kyoto Protocol 12 years ago. Now we have a chance to rectify that omission–and we must seize it.”
Speaking in Copenhagen, ICAO council president Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez said: “The projected growth in public demand for air transport in the years to come could exceed our capability to limit the impact of air travel on climate change unless we continue a progressive course of developing and implementing bold and effective solutions.”
Air Industry Sets Goals
IATA’s goals include achieving carbon-neutral growth by 2020 and by 2050 reducing 2005’s CO2 emission levels by 50 percent. ICAO also shared the details of an agreement reached in October by “member states representing 93 percent of global commercial air traffic.” To be submitted in 2010 to ICAO’s assembly, it includes “a global goal of 2 percent annual improvement in fuel efficiency until the year 2050,” aircraft emissions standards, submission of member states’ CO2 reports and reduction plans, and assistance for developing countries.
Measuring emissions and monitoring progress must be handled centrally and globally, according to industry officials. “How can the emissions from an international flight be assigned to one country for measurement, quota and reduction purposes?” asked Cathay Pacific CEO Tony Tyler, according to a company statement. “National or regional solutions are just not practical. They will only lead to a patchwork of conflicting and overlapping regulations, and higher fares for our customers. We want to be part of a scheme that avoids competitive distortion and the notion of so-called carbon leakage where emissions in one part of the world are effectively transferred to another by the poor design of policy instruments. The European Union Emissions Trading Scheme is a good example of where businesses could set up operations outside of the EU to avoid paying for their emissions inside.”
Association of European Airlines secretary general Ulrich Schulte-Strathaus also described regional solutions as “distortive and divisive,” according to an AEA statement.
A U.K. House of Commons Transport Committee report issued this week also took issue with EU ETS, describing the scheme’s track record as “appalling.” Citing a U.K. National Audit Office report, the committee wrote that the initial phases of EU ETS “were ineffective … due to the emission caps being set too high; options to purchase carbon credits from outside the scheme; and initial allowances being too generous. The National Audit Office is cautious about expecting too much from EU ETS Phase 3, which will include aviation. It may prove insufficient to drive investment in low-carbon aviation, especially in these difficult economic times.”
At least among commercial operators, there appears to be agreement that international aviation emissions reductions efforts be coordinated by ICAO. Citing global efforts to reduce aircraft noise, IATA’s Bisignani said ICAO “has a proven track record.” IATA also has said that an ICAO-supervised framework should ensure “that aviation be fully accountable for its carbon emissions and required to pay only once for these emissions.”
In a fact sheet prepared for the Copenhagen conference, the European Union agreed that ICAO “should develop” market-based instruments to reduce emissions, and said EU ETS carbon limits “will be reviewed in the light of a global agreement.” Those limits call for caps on overall emissions produced by flights to, from and within the EU at 5 percent below 2005 levels in 2013 and 10 percent by 2020.
Biofuels
To achieve IATA’s, the EU’s or any other emissions reduction goals, airlines have much work to do. Many expect that alternative jet fuels will play a major role. “Sustainable biofuels from crops like camelina, jatropha and algae are the most exciting new opportunity,” said Bisignani. “A few years ago they were a dream. Today, we can say that five airlines have tested them successfully. They are safe, and they have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint by up to 80 percent over the lifecycle of the fuel. We expect certification by 2011 at the latest.”
The test flights started in February 2008 when Virgin Atlantic “proved to a sometimes-skeptical industry that it is possible to replicate the very strict performance characteristics of normal jet fuel using a combination of coconut oil and babassu nut oil, both sustainably cultivated crops,” according to Virgin information. “Within the next decade we expect to see a significant contribution from second-generation biofuels, made from truly sustainable second-generation feedstocks, such as algae, or using waste biomass, like woodchips. We’re not saying that biofuels alone are the answer. But, as new aircraft technologies can take a couple of decades or more to be rolled out across airlines’ fleets, a ‘drop in’ lower carbon alternative to traditional kerosene–which requires no technical modifications to the aircraft or fuel systems–can provide a really useful short- to medium-term opportunity for the industry to reduce its emissions.”
Other airlines since have followed Virgin’s lead, including Air New Zealand, Continental Airlines, Japan Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. KLM last month also announced its participation in the SkyEnergy consortium “to ensure clean, silent and sustainable air transport worldwide.” KLM CEO Peter Hartman said such a goal “is technically feasible. We have demonstrated that it is possible. Government, industry and society at large must now join forces to ensure that we quickly gain access to a continuous supply of biofuel.”
Meanwhile, Qantas last month became the latest airline to formally join the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, which seeks to “accelerate the development and commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel.” Other members include Air France, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, ANA, Boeing, British Airways, Cargolux, Cathay Pacific, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, KLM, SAS, Tuifly and Virgin.
ICAO also announced that a global framework for development and use of alternative fuels “was adopted in November. This development has positioned aviation to be the first sector to use sustainable alternative fuels on a global basis.”
Other Efforts
Though fleet renewal helps airlines cut costs and better serve customers, it also is one of the biggest factors in reducing aviation emissions. The latest announcement along these lines came this week from United Airlines. The carrier ordered 25 Airbus A350 XWB and 25 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to replace its international Boeing 747 and 767 fleets from 2016. United estimated that “total fuel burn for the 50 new aircraft improves by about 33 percent compared to the aircraft they will replace, saving roughly 175 million gallons of fuel annually. This efficiency improvement, combined with the down-gauging of aircraft size, will reduce carbon emissions for the 50 aircraft by about 1.7 million metric tons.”
EasyJet last month called for “mandatory emission standards for aircraft” led by ICAO. “Government’s first instinct is to tax, but this won’t deliver sustainable aviation as the industry’s growth is concentrated in China and India,” according to an easyJet statement. “Step change technology is in the pipeline, and we need tough legislation on emission standards for it to be delivered sooner. The standards would apply to all developed countries. Governments would have to play an active role in funding research and development.”
In the United States, many industry constituencies are advocating more government funding for a new, satellite-based air traffic control system. According to the Air Transport Association, the “NextGen” system would save “10 percent to 15 percent in unnecessary fuel burn and emissions. Had we had this modernized system in 2008, even at the midrange of savings, an additional 22 million metric tons of CO2 would have been saved, equivalent to taking 4 million cars off the road that year.”

http://www.thetransnational.travel/news.php?cid=air-travel-global-climate-change-airlines.Dec-09.10

Aviation & Environmental Protection, Hand in Hand

By Nancy Young

Vice President for Environmental Affairs, Air Transport Association

Wandering through the halls of the Copenhagen meetings, you are as likely to meet a walking and talking tree as you are to see a person in a business suit. Regardless of the outfit, almost everyone here has two things in common – they care about the environment, including the effects of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and to reach this quaint city from points all over the world they traveled by airline. Two interesting, fact-based side events today explained how air travel and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive. To the contrary, aviation has a strong record on climate change – a record that continues to get even stronger.

As a representative of the airline industry, this came as no surprise to me. U.S. airlines are responsible for 5.2 percent of U.S. GDP, but contribute only 2 percent of the nation’s GHG inventory. Colloquially put, we provide “good bang for your carbon buck,” as fuel efficiency equates directly to GHG savings and we are driven to be as fuel efficient as we can be. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Today, scientists at the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the MIT-run Partnership for Air Transportation Noise & Emissions Reduction (PARTNER) hosted a special event on “Greening U.S. Aviation,” in which they presented confirmed data and information on the multiple emissions management measures the aviation industry and governments are pursuing. Among other things, the FAA confirmed that the U.S. airlines improved their fuel efficiency almost 110 percent between 1978 and 2008, saving 2.7 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) – equivalent to taking 19.5 million cars off the road for each of those years.

But in addition to focusing on where we’ve been and where we are, the professors staffing the FAA/PARTNER event spoke about where we are going. The airlines are undertaking a myriad of operational measures within the limits of the existing air traffic control (ATC) system to minimize fuel burn and emissions, many of which are being made possible by joint test programs with FAA. But they also spoke of the great environmental improvements that a modernized ATC system would bring. Listen Congress, listen White House! The scientists agree – we need the Next Generation Air Transportation System in the United States! And while they did not say this – the implication is clear – this is a federal infrastructure investment that can and should be made now.

Another implication of the scientists’ reports – breakthroughs take collaborative efforts. That is why FAA, along with a number of universities, aircraft and engine manufacturers, energy producers, airports and my organization – ATA – are working together in the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) to develop and deploy commercially viable, environmentally friendly alternative aviation fuels. One of today’s presenters noted key steps achieved this year, including multiple, successful test flights and approval of a new jet fuel specification for alternatives to petroleum-based jet fuel. And exciting work continues.

It is clear that these are the types of measures aviation in employing to continue its strong record of environmental improvement. But what will the policy framework around aviation be? That was the theme of the second aviation event today, presented by the United Nations’ body charged with setting environmental and other standards for aviation – the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The message there, delivered from representatives from ICAO, Singapore, the United States, the UAE, Brazil, Romania, was that we must have a global sectoral approach to aviation emissions and that ICAO, which has a proven track record on global standards on aircraft noise and emissions with local effect, should set the framework. Otherwise, instead of one set of harmonized aviation GHG standards, there will many disparate and conflicting ones. And the funds the industry needs to invest in further improvements will be siphoned away to overlapping and counterproductive taxes, charges and emissions trading schemes imposed by any number of states, regions and countries.

The airlines are among those leading the call for a global sectoral approach to aviation emissions. Joined by the manufacturers, air navigation service providers and the airports, we have put an ambitious program on the table. Under it, the framework for both international and domestic aviation emissions would be established internationally, with countries encouraged to act consistent with the international framework when addressing GHGs from domestic flights. All airline emissions would be subject to emissions targets – an annual average fuel and CO2 efficiency improvement of 1.5 percent through 2020 and carbon-neutral growth from 2020, with an aspirational goal of a 50 percent reduction in CO2 by 2050 relative to 2005 levels. While the airlines will have to make significant investments to meet these targets, they also depend on governments doing their part with respect to ATC modernization and research and development investments.

We urge support for this approach in Copenhagen, ICAO and back at home. We’re all interested in environmental protection and we all benefit from air transport. The right policy can help these two interests stay hand-in-hand.

http://copenhagen.nationaljournal.com/2009/12/aviation-environmental-protect.php

ICAO unveils first global accord designed to address climate change

By EDU LOPEZ
December 11, 2009, 3:18pm

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has produced the first globally-harmonized agreement designed to address climate change on a global basis from a specific sector.

ICAO president Roberto Gonzalez told the UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen that ICAO is in the best position to effectively and systematically address the impact of international aircraft emissions on climate change.

“The remarkable progress of aviation in reducing the impact of engine emissions over the past 40 years is the result of consensus building and cooperation among the 190-Member States of ICAO and sustained efforts of the air transport industry,” said Gonzalez.

“We look to the outcome of COP 15 to deliver an agreement that acknowledges the importance of all States working through ICAO towards the achievement of an environmentally sustainable aviation.

In October, a high-level meeting of ICAO Member States representing 93% of global commercial air traffic reached agreement on further reducing aviation’s impact on climate change, in cooperation with the air transport industry, through a global goal of 2 % annual improvement in fuel efficiency until the year 2050; development of a global CO2 standard for aircraft; development of a framework for market-based measures in international aviation; submission of States’ action plans and annual reporting on CO2 emissions to ICAO; and measures to assist developing states and to facilitate access to financial resources, technology transfer and capacity-building.

This agreement will be submitted in 2010 to the ICAO assembly, the plenary body of the 190 members states, as part of the continuous drive to facilitate internationally harmonized solutions.

In addition, an ICAO global framework on the development and implementation of alternative fuels, particularly drop-in fuels, for aviation worldwide was adopted in November.

Gonzalez said this development has positioned aviation to be the first sector to use sustainable alternative fuels on a global basis.
“According to the IPCC fourth assessment report, total CO2 emissions from the aviation sector account for approximately 2% of global emissions from human activity about 60% of which is related to international air travel.

The projected growth in public demand for air transport in the years to come could exceed our capability to limit the impact of air travel on climate change unless we continue this progressive course of developing and implementing bold and effective solutions,Gonzalez added.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/233489/icao-unveils-first-global-accord-designed-address-climate-change

Environment and aviation safety are IATA’s priorities, says Bisignani

By EMMIE V. ABADILLA
December 4, 2009, 2:04pm

Environmental responsibility is a top priority for aviation, alongside safety and security, International Air Transport Association (IATA)’s Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani stressed as governments prepare to gather in Copenhagen for talks on climate change.

The aviation industry is globally united with a commitment to stabilize emissions with carbon neutral growth from 2020 and a 50% net reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, he pointed out.

“Aviation is a global industry that moves with global standards,” the CEO explained. “Our commitment to reducing emissions includes all the value chain manufacturers, airports, air navigation service providers and airlines and crosses all geographies. Because our businesses operate across borders, aviation has a unique track record of finding global solutions to even the most difficult issues.”

He is rallying the sector under the leadership of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “Under ICAO, we found a solution to noise that accommodated the needs of developed and developing nations. We are a model for industry-government cooperation within the United Nations framework. Aviation will be the only industry bringing a global solution to Copenhagen.”

Significantly, a global sectoral approach would account for aviation’s carbon emissions at a global level as an industrial sector, not by state. This would ensure that aviation is fully accountable for its emissions, and through access to global carbon markets would pay for its emissions once, not several times over.

Cooperation between industry and government to secure aviation’s future was the theme of Bisignani’s remarks which focused on long-term strategic industry issues. “Flying is the safest way to travel precisely because of industry cooperation with governments though ICAO,” according to the CEO.

Improvements in safety must be data-driven, he went on. IATA is launching a Global Safety Information Center to house IATA safety information in a single online database and is supporting ICAO Secretary-General Raymond Benjamin’s call for even greater sharing of safety data.

“To make a safe industry even safer we must cooperate and share data. The upcoming ICAO high level meeting on safety (March 2010) will be a great opportunity to take this forward with concrete plans to amalgamate safety data from audits and inspections conducted by ICAO, FAA, EASA and IATA to improve safety by identifying trends and potential hazards,” he elaborated.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/232418/environment-and-aviation-safety-are-iata-s-priorities-says-bisignani

IATA takes aviation industry’s environmental goals to Copenhagen.

Posted on 9 December 2009 in Air Transport

Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers are calling for a global approach to reducing aviation emissions and are united in a commitment: to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2020; to stabilize carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth; and to a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared to 2005.

“We are the only global industry coming to Copenhagen with a strong track record and a commitment to cut our emissions in half by 2050.These goals clearly show that the aviation industry is even ahead of its regulators in its approach to climate change,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, as he presented the industry position to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen.

Bisignani’s presentation was part of an official side meeting hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s specialized agency for aviation. The Kyoto protocol gives ICAO the responsibility for aviation’s international emissions. Throughout ICAO’s 65-year history, it has worked with industry to create the global standards that governments around the world have implemented to ensure that aviation is safe, secure and efficient and environmentally responsible.

Bisignani urged governments to act. “The only way that we can meet our targets is by working in cooperation with governments through ICAO. I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a Global Sectoral Approach that will enable the aviation industry to deliver real results against concrete targets,” said Bisignani.

A Global Sectoral Approach, through ICAO, to manage aviation’s emissions will ensure a level playing field. The approach consists of three main elements:

* Full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state
* Global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions
* Access to global carbon markets

Accommodating the Needs of Developing Nations

A Global Sectoral Approach through ICAO can accommodate the needs of developed and developing nations. “A good precedent is when ICAO tackled the tough issue of noise, working with the industry. We set global standards that accommodated the needs of developed and developing nations. Today air transport is 75% quieter than four decades ago. Working together in a similar way, we can meet our environmental challenges,” said Bisignani.

A Strategy Already Delivering Results

The aviation industry is already working towards its climate change goals through its four pillar strategy. The strategy focuses on investing in new technology, flying smarter, building efficient infrastructure, and taking advantage of positive economic measures.

“This united industry strategy is not just words. Shortening routes, spreading best practice in fuel management and using more efficient ways to land are among the measures that we are implementing to reduce emissions. Since 2004, our four pillar strategy has saved over 70 million tonnes of CO2. Last year aviation’s carbon footprint was just under 670 million tonnes of CO2. That will shrink by 7% this year—5% from the recession and 2% as a direct result of our strategy,” said Bisignani.

Looking forward, Bisignani highlighted the potential of sustainable biofuels. “A few years ago they were a dream. Today we can say that five airlines have tested them successfully. They are safe and they have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint by up to 80% over the lifecycle of the fuel. We expect certification by 2011 at the latest. We have been diligent with our homework. Now governments must create the right legal and fiscal frameworks to support their commercialisation and distribution,” said Bisignani.

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/article.php?section=air-transport&article=iata-takes-aviation-industry-s-environmental-goals-to-copenhagen-

Aviation brings its emissions targets to Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) brought the aviation industry’s environmental goals to Copenhagen. Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers are calling for a global approach to reducing aviation emissions and are united in a commitment: to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5 percent per year to 2020; to stabilise carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth; and to a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50 percent by 2050 compared to 2005.

“We are the only global industry coming to Copenhagen with a strong track record and a commitment to cut our emissions in half by 2050. These goals clearly show that the aviation industry is even ahead of its regulators in its approach to climate change,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, as he presented the industry position to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen.

Bisignani’s presentation was part of an official side meeting hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s specialised agency for aviation. The Kyoto protocol gives ICAO the responsibility for aviation’s international emissions. Throughout ICAO’s 65-year history, it has worked with industry to create the global standards that governments around the world have implemented to ensure that aviation is safe, secure and efficient and environmentally responsible.

Bisignani urged governments to act. “The only way that we can meet our targets is by working in cooperation with governments through ICAO. I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a Global Sectoral Approach that will enable the aviation industry to deliver real results against concrete targets,” said Bisignani.
A Global Sectoral Approach, through ICAO, to manage aviation’s emissions will ensure a level playing field.

The approach consists of three main elements: full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state; global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions; and access to global carbon markets.

http://www.travelweeklyweb.com/article/Aviation_brings_its_emissions_targets_to_Copenhagen.html

Bunker fuels: elephant on the sidelines

Capping greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation and shipping could generate a quarter of the funds developing countries will need to fight climate change by 2020, but negotiations on these sectors have yet to get off the ground in Copenhagen.

On Tuesday 9 December, in the morning, the chair of the working group on long-term cooperative action (AWG-LCA) proposed to handle the issue through informal negotiations rather than a formal working group.

This was unfortunate, said Bill Hemmings of green transport group T&E. Seven draft texts on bunker fuels remain from Barcelona, which are not easily merged into one negotiating text, he added. The EU, Australia and Malawi urged the chair to review his position but so far there has been no formal discussion of the proposals.

The EU wants a Copenhagen climate deal to set targets for a 10 and 20% cut in aviation and shipping emissions respectively by 2020, relative to 2005 levels. With full auctioning of allowances, this could raise €17-25bn annually by 2020, the commission calculates. It estimates developing countries will need €100bn in climate funds by 2020. Figures like these have got countries like Nigeria interested.

But a counter-proposal by the US, Norway, Canada and Japan would leave responsibility for action with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Maritime Organisation (IMO), setting only a target date for them to act.

The aviation sector at least appears to back this line, with International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Giovanni Bisignani saying on Tuesday: “I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a global sectoral approach.”

ICAO and the IMO held back-to-back side events in Copenhagen on Tuesday. At the IMO event, there was “quite some understanding” for giving responsibility to the UNFCCC to set emission reduction targets, Mr Hemmings said.

But here too, the sector is a long way from being fully on board. The IMO says it does not have a position on whether shipping emissions should be capped, or who should cap them. In October a representative from the International Chamber of Shipping told ENDS the industry envisaged a 15-20% efficiency gain per ship from today to 2020 rather than an overall cap for the sector.

Late on Tuesday ICAO and IMO pleaded with the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advicethe (SBSTA) that their mandates to regulate bunker greenhouse gases under Kyoto be maintained. Both are worried that the UNFCCC might decide to do the job for them after 12 years of inaction.

Significantly, the IMO representative in Copenhagen said on Tuesday night, in contrast to the official IMO line, that an emission reduction target would best be set by the UNFCCC at Copenhagen, not within the IMO. In addition Norway, whose text on bunkers ahead of Copenhagen said targets should be set by the IMO, also told an IMO side event on Wednesday morning that targets could be set at Copenhagen.

ICAO believes its 2% fleet fuel efficiency improvement target and discussion of a possible goal of carbon neutral growth by 2020 are sufficient.

But in shipping too, dissenting voices remain. On Wednesday, Bill Box from tanker association Intertanko said: “If there is the need for a cap, then we believe it should be set and regulated by the IMO.” He added: “There is a danger of everything being lumped into one under the UNFCCC.” Of the EU’s proposals however, he said: “We don’t think ‘Oh my goodness that looks unachievable’.”

And this is the good news. Setting aside arguments about whether there should be a cap and who should set it, industry voices indicate that there are big opportunities to cut emissions in the shipping and aviation sectors. Now it is up to policymakers to pull their fingers out and give industry the framework it needs to make these cuts.

http://www.endseurope.com/22816?referrer=channel-climate

Aviation industry sets out emissions goals at Copenhagen

KUALA LUMPUR: The aviation industry is targeting a global approach to reduce aviation emissions and among the measures are commitments to improve fuel efficiency, stabilise carbon emissions and also reduce emissions, says the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The commitments are to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% a year to 2020, stabilise carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth; and a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared with 2005.

IATA, whose members comprise airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers, brought up the aviation industry’s environmental goals at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) currently taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark.

IATA director general and CEO Giovanni Bisignani said: “We are the only global industry coming to Copenhagen with a strong track record and a commitment to cut our emissions in half by 2050. These goals clearly show that the aviation industry is even ahead of its regulators in its approach to climate change.”

Bisignani’s presentation was part of an official side meeting hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s specialised agency for aviation.

Under the Kyoto Protocol, ICAO is responsible for aviation’s international emissions. During ICAO’s 65-year history, it has worked with industry to create the global standards for governments around the world.

“The only way that we can meet our targets is by working in cooperation with governments through ICAO. I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a global sectoral approach that will enable the aviation industry to deliver real results against concrete targets,” said Bisignani.

This global sectoral approach, through ICAO, to manage aviation’s emissions will ensure a level playing field. The approach comprises includes full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state; global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions; and access to global carbon markets

Bisignani said a global sectoral approach through ICAO could accommodate the needs of developed and developing nations.

“A good precedent is when ICAO tackled the tough issue of noise, working with the industry. We set global standards that accommodated the needs of developed and developing nations. Today air transport is 75% quieter than four decades ago. Working together in a similar way, we can meet our environmental challenges,” he said.

He added the aviation industry was already working towards its climate change goals by focusing on investing in new TECHNOLOGY [], flying smarter, building efficient infrastructure, and taking advantage of positive economic measures.

“This united industry strategy is not just words. Shortening routes, spreading best practice in fuel management and using more efficient ways to land are among the measures that we are implementing to reduce emissions.

“Since 2004, our four pillar strategy has saved over 70 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Last year aviation’s carbon footprint was just under 670 million tonnes of CO2. That will shrink by 7% this year — 5% from the recession and 2% as a direct result of our strategy.”

Bisignani said sustainable biofuels were becoming a reality. A few years ago, such biofuels were a dream, but now, five airlines have tested them successfully.

“They are safe and they have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint by up to 80% over the lifecycle of the fuel. We expect certification by 2011 at the latest. We have been diligent with our homework. Now governments must create the right legal and fiscal frameworks to support their commercialisation and distribution,” he said.

http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=155332&Itemid=79

Halving Emissions by 2050 – Aviation Brings its Targets to Copenhagen

Date: 08 December 2009

Copenhagen – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) brought the aviation industry’s environmental goals to Copenhagen. Airlines, airports, air navigation service providers and manufacturers are calling for a global approach to reducing aviation emissions and are united in a commitment: to improve fuel efficiency by an average of 1.5% per year to 2020; to stabilize carbon emissions from 2020 with carbon-neutral growth; and to a net reduction in carbon emissions of 50% by 2050 compared to 2005.

“We are the only global industry coming to Copenhagen with a strong track record and a commitment to cut our emissions in half by 2050. These goals clearly show that the aviation industry is even ahead of its regulators in its approach to climate change,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO, as he presented the industry position to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen.

Bisignani’s presentation was part of an official side meeting hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the UN’s specialized agency for aviation. The Kyoto protocol gives ICAO the responsibility for aviation’s international emissions. Throughout ICAO’s 65-year history, it has worked with industry to create the global standards that governments around the world have implemented to ensure that aviation is safe, secure and efficient and environmentally responsible.

Bisignani urged governments to act. “The only way that we can meet our targets is by working in cooperation with governments through ICAO. I call on governments in Copenhagen to give ICAO a clear mandate to report back to COP-16 with a Global Sectoral Approach that will enable the aviation industry to deliver real results against concrete targets,” said Bisignani.

A Global Sectoral Approach, through ICAO, to manage aviation’s emissions will ensure a level playing field. The approach consists of three main elements:

* Full accounting for aviation’s emissions as a global industrial sector, not by state
* Global coordination of economic measures to ensure that aviation will not pay more than once for its emissions
* Access to global carbon markets

Accommodating the Needs of Developing Nations

A Global Sectoral Approach through ICAO can accommodate the needs of developed and developing nations. “A good precedent is when ICAO tackled the tough issue of noise, working with the industry. We set global standards that accommodated the needs of developed and developing nations. Today air transport is 75% quieter than four decades ago. Working together in a similar way, we can meet our environmental challenges,” said Bisignani.
A Strategy Already Delivering Results

The aviation industry is already working towards its climate change goals through its four pillar strategy. The strategy focuses on investing in new technology, flying smarter, building efficient infrastructure, and taking advantage of positive economic measures.

“This united industry strategy is not just words. Shortening routes, spreading best practice in fuel management and using more efficient ways to land are among the measures that we are implementing to reduce emissions. Since 2004, our four pillar strategy has saved over 70 million tonnes of CO2. Last year aviation’s carbon footprint was just under 670 million tonnes of CO2. That will shrink by 7% this year—5% from the recession and 2% as a direct result of our strategy,” said Bisignani.

Looking forward, Bisignani highlighted the potential of sustainable biofuels. “A few years ago they were a dream. Today we can say that five airlines have tested them successfully. They are safe and they have the potential to reduce our carbon footprint by up to 80% over the lifecycle of the fuel. We expect certification by 2011 at the latest. We have been diligent with our homework. Now governments must create the right legal and fiscal frameworks to support their commercialization and distribution,” said Bisignani.

View Bisignani’s full speech
Notes for Editors:

* IATA is the global association for the airline industry. IATA’s 230 member airlines comprise 93% of scheduled international traffic.
* The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is the specialized UN agency for international civil aviation.
* In October 2009 ICAO convened a high level meeting on environment. The meeting confirmed the desire of governments to deal with aviation and climate change through ICAO. The meeting concluded with a declaration with the following commitments:
o 1. States to work together to achieve a global annual average fuel efficiency improvement of 2% to 2050
o 2. ICAO and its contracting states to evaluate the possibility of more ambitious goals by the next ICAO Assembly (2010), taking into consideration industry’s collective commitments and the special needs of developing nations
o 3. ICAO to establish the process to develop a framework for economic measures
o 4. ICAO and its contracting states to encourage the development and use of sustainable biofuels

For more information, please contact:
Anthony Concil
Director Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org

http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/2009-12-08-01.htm

COP15: Day 3 Highlights

COP15: Day 2 Highlights