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World first for Aviation and the Environment

20 June 2005

A comprehensive programme for long-term reductions in aviation's impact on the environment has been published by Britain's leading airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and air traffic service. The pioneering initiative, unique in global aviation, commits UK companies to a joint strategy aimed at delivering radical improvements in carbon dioxide emissions, nitrogen oxide emissions and aircraft noise over the next 15 years. The ?Sustainable Aviation' strategy sets up mechanisms for monitoring and regular reporting of progress toward a range of specific objectives.

The objectives include:

• Limiting climate change impact by improving fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions of new aircraft by 50 per cent per seat kilometre by 2020 compared with 2000 levels.
• Improving air quality by reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by 80 per cent over the same period.
• Lowering the perceived external noise of new aircraft by 50 per cent by 2020 compared with their 2000 equivalents.
• Establishing a common system for the reporting of total carbon dioxide emissions and fleet fuel efficiency by the end of 2005, and pressing for aviation's inclusion in the EU emissions trading scheme at the earliest possible date.
• Airport plans for community-related noise limitations, including landing and take-off restrictions where necessary.

The initiative, the culmination of 12 months' work by a cross-industry project group, has been strongly endorsed by the Government.
In a foreword to the 52-page strategy document, the Prime Minister praises the industry's co-operation in searching for environmental solutions.

Tony Blair says: ?I am delighted that such a wide range of organisations have worked together on Sustainable Aviation. By working with Government and society to tackle the environmental issues associated with aviation, the industry can demonstrate that economic success, social progress and respect for the environment can go hand in hand.?

Launch signatories to the strategy include the industry national trade associations (AOA, BATA and SBAC), British Airways, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic, Airbus UK, BAE SYSTEMS, Rolls-Royce, National Air Traffic Services and the operators of Britain's 24 biggest airports.
The companies involved believe the project can act as a catalyst for environmentally-friendly change throughout world aviation.

The following made statements about the initiative:

• Rod Eddington, Chief Executive of British Airways: ?The whole aviation industry must accept global warming as a reality, and galvanise its efforts to limit generation of greenhouse gases. This is what the Sustainable Aviation process is about. The signatory airlines want to join the European emissions trading scheme as soon as we can as the most effective way of limiting aviation's impact on climate change.?
• Mike Clasper, Chief Executive of airports operator BAA: ?This strategy builds on the considerable work already undertaken by airport operators to mitigate the impact of aviation on local communities and the environment through providing a practical plan for the aviation industry to work together to create a sustainable future. We look forward to building on the commitments in the years to come.?
• Kevin Smith, President of the Society of British Aerospace Companies: ?Sustainable Aviation is the key to achieving the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) vision of a strong and sustainable UK aviation industry. The AeIGT technology programme will focus and stimulate the innovation needed to deliver these challenging objectives.?
• Paul Barron, Chief Executive of National Air Traffic Services: ?We are already leading the way in Europe with operational procedures to reduce environmental impact, and are committed to playing a full role in this ground-breaking coalition. We can achieve far more in collaboration than any of us can achieve on our own.?
• Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC: ?The TUC welcomes the aviation industry's engagement with the challenge of climate change. Sustainable Aviation is a serious first step towards joining aviation with global efforts to tackle climate change. The TUC urges Government to use its EU Presidency to kick start the inclusion of aviation emissions within the EU emissions trading scheme by 2008.?

A summary of the document can be downloaded and further information is available on the Sustainable Aviation website.

For further information contact the SBAC Director of Communications.

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Beckett invites industry to work with Government on policy for a low carbon economy

Jointly hosting a "Climate Change: The Business Forecast" conference in London on 5 October 2005 with Alan Johnson of the DTI, Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs invited business to work closely with government on the development of a policy framework to support a ?low carbon economy'. Click here to read the Secretary of State's speech.

SBAC's Director, Civil Air Transport, Dr Mike Steeden, who attended the conference, said ?with both Mrs Beckett and Mr Johnson agreeing that the debate about the science is over, arguing that deep cuts in emissions will be needed and that business as usual is the wrong approach, the SBAC's joint ?Sustainable Aviation' initiative with the Airport Operators and British Air Transport Associations and National Air Traffic Services provides exactly the right basis for a positive response by the aviation sector to the challenges being set by UK Ministers.' Mike noted that targets aimed at achieving a 50% cut in CO2 emissions by 2050, and 30% by 2020 discussed at the conference were wholly in line with the target of a 50% cut in CO2 emissions per seat kilometre for the new aircraft of 2020 relative to new aircraft in 2000 set by the Advisory Council on Aeronautic Research in Europe (ACARE) and adopted by the UK signatories to ?Sustainable Aviation'. He added ?Sustainable Aviation highlights a number of recommendations to Government to assist in the delivery of the sector's sustainability strategy. We look forward to making progress with these recommendations as a key element of any dialogue with government on the development of new policy frameworks in this area'.

Recalling that Sustainable Aviation commits the SBAC and its partners to encourage all aviation partners to endorse the strategy and participate in its delivery Mike said ?member companies which have yet to ?sign up' need to note a call by Alan Johnson at the conference for business to become carbon conscious'. John Sunderland, President of the CBI, who also spoke at the conference referred to climate change as a reputational issue for industry and a question of corporate responsibility. Mike concluded that ?the issue is one of maintaining competitive advantage in an area that invites ever increasing public interest and tighter regulation; as stated at the conference, companies need to be managing the associated risks. Sustainable Aviation offers the opportunity for SBAC companies to take that vital first step'.

Click here to read Alan Johnson's speech and here to read the CBI's press release.

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Notes to Editors:

1. The SBAC is the national trade association representing suppliers to the civil air transport, aerospace defence and space markets operating in the UK economy. It represents over 800 member companies, assisting them in developing new business globally, facilitates innovation and competitiveness and provides regulatory services in technical standards and accreditation.
2. The initial list of signatories is: British Airways, First Choice Airways, flybe, Monarch, Thomas Cook, Thomsonfly, Virgin Atlantic; National Air Traffic Services Ltd; BAA (representing Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, Stansted and Southampton airports), Manchester Airports Group (Bournemouth, Humberside, Manchester, NEMA), Peel Airports Group (Liverpool John Lennon, Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield, Sheffield City, Durham Tees Valley), TBI Group (London Luton, Cardiff International, Belfast International), Belfast City, Birmingham International, Bristol International, Glasgow Prestwick International, Leeds Bradford, London City, Newcastle International, Airbus UK Ltd, BAE SYSTEMS PLC, Bombardier Aerospace Belfast, Cobham plc, Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA), Doncasters Ltd., GKN plc, Marshall of Cambridge Aerospace, Meggitt PLC, Messier-Dowty Ltd, Rolls-Royce PLC, Smiths Group plc. easyJet, QinetiQ and Goodrich Engine Control Systems have also committed to Sustainable Aviation since the document was printed.
3. The signatories undertake to make consistent progress toward the 2020 objectives and to report every two years on their performance. The first report is due in autumn 2006.
4. Further information on this topic is reported through our Sustainable Aviation and Civil Air Transport web pages. The Sustainable Aviation Working Group will monitor companies' environmental achievements. Failure to make adequate progress would lead to withdrawal of a company's Sustainable Aviation status.