Figures released this week by the International Air transport Association showed that airlines saved 3.8 million tonnes by optimising 395 routes to make them more efficient.
The remaining 6.7 million tonnes was achieved by savings within airlines as they moved to improve operational practices, upgraded fleets and took weight out of planes.
"The industry is growing at 5 to 6 per cent per year," IATA director general Giovagni Bisignani told an environmental summit in Geneva.
"Our responsible approach to the environment limited the growth of our carbon footprint to just half of that: 3 per cent.
"The challenge is to keep the enormous economic benefits of air transport and eliminate the environmental impacts. So despite our good record, we must do more."
The summit produced an industry-wide accord in which airlines, airports, manufacturers and air traffic controllers agreed to build on and accelerate moves towards carbon-neutral growth and "aspire" to a carbon-free future.
Signatories included several Australian airports, including Sydney Airport and Queensland Airports. Several of Macquarie Airports' foreign investments also signed up.
The accord adopted a four-pillar strategy developed by IATA and endorsed last year by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
This involved investing in new technology, flying aircraft effectively, building and operating efficient infrastructure and using positive economic measures to reduce carbon emissions.
However, Mr Bisignani said the ICAO endorsement had yet totranslate into action by governments.
He again hit out at European moves to unilaterally introduce emissions trading, saying fuel was now 30 per cent of an airline's operating costs and the total fuel bill for 2008 was now estimated at $US156 billion ($164.8 billion).
The summit also saw rival aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus agree to join forces and work to seek quicker improvements to the world's air transportation management system in order to increase efficiency and eliminate traffic congestion.
The two will work together to help governments choose the most direct path to a modern air navigation system.
"Airbus and Boeing are great competitors, and this has been a critical element that has sharpened our focus and efforts toward making aviation more efficient," Boeing Commercial Airplanes president Scott Carson said. "While our approaches often differ, we are working towards the same goal to reduce aviation's environmental impact."
Airbus chief executive Tom Enders said he was convinced technology and innovation held the key to reducing aviation's environmental impact.
"And competition is a great motivator for this," Mr Enders said. "Where Boeing and Airbus share a common position on the environment and safety, it is in all our interests that we co-operate to achieve our common goals more quickly."
In Australia, Sydney Airport chief executive Russell Balding said the airport's decision to sign the declaration affirmed its commitment to the environment.
"We will work with all players across the industry to target carbon neutral growth as a step towards a carbon-free future for aviation," Mr Balding said.
Sydney Airport has set up an environment forum to look at issues such as water cycle management, resource recovery and ground travel.
Mr Balding said the airport had already implemented a range of initiatives aimed at improving its environmental performance.
by Steve Creedy
source | The Australian Business
