ICCAIA Continues To Call For Strong Partnership Between
Governments And Industry
The International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries
Associations (ICCAIA) said in a statement Monday that it welcomed
the agreement reached at the 37th Assembly of the International
Civil Aviation Organization, which marks decisive progress towards
a global plan to address CO2 emissions from aviation. ICCAIA also
called on governments to work in partnership with industry to
ensure that the sector's ambitious environmental goals can be
achieved.
"The agreement reached at the ICAO 37th Assembly is a
significant step forward taken by governments," said AeroSpace and
Defense Industries Association of Europe Secretary-General Francois
Gayet, who chairs ICCAIA. "The aviation industry has already
committed to very ambitious goals to reduce its carbon emissions:
1.5% annual improvement in CO2 efficiency to 2020; carbon-neutral
growth from 2020; and a 50% reduction of net CO2 emissions by 2050
compared to 2005 levels. We're glad to see that governments have
now expressed support for our ambitions."
The resolution adopted at the end of the ICAO 37th Assembly is
the first global governmental agreement which includes aspirational
goals to stabilize carbon emissions from aviation. It calls
for:
- 2% annual fuel efficiency improvements.
- Carbon neutral growth from 2020.
- A CO2 standard for aircraft engines with a target date of
2013.
In the resolution, governments also commit to looking at even
more ambitious goals for the longer term.
Gayet further noted that the agreement emphasized the need for
governments and industry to work together. "This is indeed crucial,
he said, as climate change is a major issue which cannot be tackled
either by industry or regulation alone. Industry and governments
absolutely need to work hand-in-hand to prepare the sustainable
future of aviation."
"The aerospace manufacturing industry is committed to stepping
up its efforts to deliver the breakthrough technologies which will
further reduce the environmental impact of air transport," Gayet
continued. "We call on governments to raise their level of support
for research and development for new greener technologies. We also
urge them to facilitate the deployment of more efficient air
traffic management systems, such as SESAR in Europe and NextGen in
the U.S. Finally, we believe governments also have a key role to
play to prepare the ground for the widespread use of aviation
biofuels."
"Industry will continue to work with ICAO to further develop and
implement the elements of this resolution," added AIA President and
CEO Marion C. Blakey. "Together with airlines, airports and air
navigation service providers, we remain united and committed to our
ambitious goals."
Established in 1972, ICCAIA represents the aircraft
manufacturing associations from Brazil, Canada, Europe, Japan and
the United States.