Aviation sector to discuss sustainable development, climate

Over 200 aviation industry, government and environmental group experts are gathering in Montreal for the Global Sustainable Aviation Forum, being held ahead of key intergovernmental aviation and climate change negotiations at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) later this week.

The Forum, organised by the cross-industry Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), will showcase the work already underway across the aviation sector in dealing with climate issues, before turning to the current discussions underway at ICAO.

ATAG Executive Director, Michael Gill, says the Global Sustainable Aviation Forum is a timely reminder of the aviation industry’s proactive climate programme: “The last three years have seen significant engagement from governments as the negotiations on aviation’s climate change framework gathered pace. This week, a High Level Meeting will help further develop the proposal for a global offsetting scheme and our industry-led Global Sustainable Aviation Forum is designed to provide encouragement and support to the talks.”

At an ICAO Assembly in 2013, governments agreed to work on developing an offsetting scheme for aviation, to be decided at the ICAO Assembly later this year. The current proposal builds on the concept of carbon-neutral growth, meaning that net CO2 emissions from the international aviation sector would be capped from 2020 through the global offsetting scheme.

“The aviation industry has been a firm advocate for enhanced climate action across the sector for the last seven years. We will be using the Forum to demonstrate the important role air transport connectivity must play as the world seeks to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, but also showing that an agreement on a mandatory global offsetting scheme is a vital part of that sustainable future.”

The Forum will include panel discussions on existing climate action by airlines, airports, air traffic management organisations and the manufacturers of aircraft and engines; the role of climate offset projects in sustainable development; the design questions surrounding the global offsetting scheme being negotiated at ICAO; and a look at the technology and sustainable alternative fuel needed to meet the industry’s long-term climate goal.