Clients May Opt To 'Neutralize' Chartered Jet's Emissions

Warnings from leading scientists of global climate change caused by human activity -- mostly the burning of fossil fuels -- are becoming more dire by the day. As anyone who has paid the bill after topping the tanks in their aircraft knows, airplanes aren't exactly miserly when it comes to burning fuel. That's prompted at least one aviation company to look for ways to capitalize on the situation.

ANN has learned Air Partner, touted as "the world's largest aircraft charter broker," with operations in twelve countries, has entered a partnership with The CarbonNeutral Company. Through the program, Air Partner now offers its clients the opportunity to offset their carbon emissions when chartering a private jet.

"At Air Partner we recognize the environmental cost associated with air travel and we are pleased to be the first private aviation company to offer this type of program to our clients," said Philip Mathews, president of Air Partner USA. "The CarbonNeutral program is a first step in our commitment to tackling the effects on climate change and a natural starting point for Air Partner to focus on a strategy to take responsibility for our environmental impact."

By paying a small percentage of their charter costs, The CarbonNeutral program enables Air Partner customers to account for their carbon emissions by supporting five climate-friendly energy and technology projects. Air Partner says the projects are designed to fully offset -- thus "neutralize" -- jet emissions by saving 1 kilogram of CO2 for every kilogram of CO2 produced by the aircraft.

"Air Partner’s CarbonNeutral program challenges the critical issue facing the planet -– global warming -– in a way which educates its customers and benefits local communities in the short term," said Jonathan Shopley, chief executive of The CarbonNeutral Company. "Air Partner’s commitment is a significant step towards responsibility in the private aviation industry."

Air Partner is working with the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, science partner to The CarbonNeutral Company, to calculate the carbon footprint generated per hour per jet. The calculations include the Radioactive Forcing Index, which accounts for all aircraft emissions including carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, and water vapour and nitrogen oxides.

According to Air Partner, some estimates show airline travel currently accounts for about 13 percent of US-transportation-based emissions of carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming.

"This new program is a way for us to address the concerns towards climate change for our clients and vendors," said Mathews.

FMI: www.carbonneutral.com, www.airpartner.com