NEWS
Aerospace expert warns technology improvements will not cut airline emissions
Fuel advances ‘will
not solve CO2 woes’
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@rbi.co.uk
Improvements in technology
and alternative fuels will not
solve the problem of greenhouse
gas emissions for
airlines, a leading aerospace
expert has warned.
Mark Watson, head of
corporate environmental
affairs at the Society of British
Aerospace Companies, said:
“We understand climate change
is happening and that aviation
is part of it. We are doing everything
to try to address it.
“But improvements in fuel
consumption will not be
enough and we are way off
developing a biofuel – it is
probably 10 to 15 years away.”
Several airlines, including
Virgin Atlantic and British
Airways, have carried out tests
8 | Travel Weekly | November 21 2008
Biofuel is 10 to 15 years off , according to an aerospace expert
on biofuels and Virgin has
suggested their use could be
barely four years away.
However, Watson told the
conference of the Airport
Operators Association in
London: “There are signifi cant
technological challenges and
no easy solutions. The
[environmental] pressure on
the industry will intensify.”
The conference heard Sir
John Houghton, former editor
of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change Report, describe
a warming world – with
a fi vefold increase in fl ooding,
150 million environmental
refugees by 2050 and the loss
of millions of animal species.
Letters Are there any operators
that are on agents’ side? page 31
If airlines do not cut their
CO2 emissions, Houghton said:
“Everything the UK is allowed
to emit by 2050 could come
from aviation. That is a major
problem. I assume there will be
technical improvements, but
aircraft last a long time.”
Greenpeace chief scientist
Doug Parr agreed, arguing:
“However you do the fi gures,
aviation growth is a big problem
in meeting emissions targets.
We can no longer allow
airport expansion.”
Parr argued for a cap on
fl ights at today’s level. However,
Watson said: “We cannot
subscribe to a cap on fl ights.”
BA head of environment
Jonathon Counsel outlined
plans to reduce BA’s emissions
by 25% by 2025 and said the
industry should commit to
halving emissions by 2050.
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TRAVEL WEEKLY’S TOP FIVE WEB STORIES
The most-read news
stories on www.travelweekly.co.uk
this week:
1. Travel 2 staff in
consultation
2. Concerns over London
Olympics after travel
chaos at WTM
3. Insurance fears as
travel fi rms fail to apply
for FSA authorisation
4. Travel should not ignore
fi nancial tsunami
5. Aldi to launch discount
holiday website in
the UK
TRAVEL WEEKLY ONLINE POLL
Transport chaos marred WTM
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IN BRIEF
ACE GOES IN SEARCH
OF AMBASSADORS
The Association of Cruise
Experts is launching the ACE
Ambassador accreditation
scheme on December 1 to
recognise achievements of
‘top tier’ UK cruise agents.
Those who reach 600 points
will become ACE Ambassadors.
The scheme follows a
tenfold increase in the number
of people completing ACE
training modules in 2008.
MIDLANDS LAUNCHES
LAPLAND WEBSITE
Midlands Co-op Travel’s
Holidays-Direct division
hopes to capitalise on
Christmas by launching the
website laplandtrips-direct.
co.uk. It off ers a guide to
Lapland trips, including an
overview of resorts, day trip
and short break itineraries
and special off ers.
EUROSTAR MOVE WAS
GOOD FOR THE EAST
Eurostar has doubled
passenger numbers from the
east of England following the
move to St Pancras International.
Traveller numbers from
regions north of London have
increased by up to 150% in the
year since Eurostar relocated
from Waterloo station because
of through fares from more
than 130 towns and cities.
Will transport woes hit the London Olympics?
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82%
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