Airlines around the world announced a major agreement to reduce carbon emissions over the weekend.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents 230 airlines, said its members will reduce net carbon emissions 50% by 2050.
In addition, they committed to improving fuel efficiency 1.5% a year through 2020 and to stabilize emissions by 2020, pledging to carbon-neutral growth beyond that date.
IATA made the announcement following a meeting in Montreal, Canada.
“We took a step in the right direction, toward a global sectoral approach, but there is still a lot of ground to cover. As a united industry, we remain committed to the ambitious environmental targets that we brought to this meeting. Governments took note of our targets and recognized the need to work with industry to secure a sustainable future for aviation,” said Giovanni Bisignani, IATA’s Director General and CEO.
The European union plans to inclue airlines in its emissions trading scheme beginning in 2012, and international climate change negotiations are expected to place restrictions on transportation and shipping industries, which have been growing quickly this century, accounting for greater greenhouse gas emissions.
The IATA is proactively engaging the issue in an attempt to get out in front of future carbon regulations and perhaps have a hand in helping to mold them.
"No other industry has been able to achieve what we have done," IATA Director-General Giovanni Bisignani said. "We are on the high ground and government must now catch up."
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