he air transport sector has a clear vision,ambitious targets and a clear strategy onenvironment. We need governments towork with the aviation sector to develop aglobal framework in which it can continue toresponsibly mitigate its climate-change impact.The aviation industry is committed to three sequentialtargets:. Improving fuel efficiency by 1.5 per cent per year by2020;. Capping our net emissions in 2020 with carbon-neutral growth;. Cutting our net emissions in half by 2050 comparedto 2005 levelsAirlines are not in this alone. IATA has led the industry- airlines, airports, air navigation service providers andmanufacturers - to agree to work towards these targets.No other global industry is as united or as ambitious.In fact, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moonrecently commended the aviation industry as a rolemodel for other industries to follow when I met himprior to the COP15 Conference.IATA had the honour to represent the aviation sector inCopenhagen last year. We went there to be part of aglobal solution on climate change and we weredisappointed that governments did not reach a bindingagreement. Our resolve, however, has not waivered. THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN AGLOBAL APPROACHThe industry is focused on delivering on itsenvironmental targets. But, we also need governmentleadership to deliver ambitious emissions reductions.Aviation is a global industry that operates on globalstandards. These have made air transport safe andefficient. The G8 has understood this unique quality ofaviation in calling for a global framework for aviationand climate change developed under the leadership ofthe International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)and working in close cooperation with the UnitedNations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC). Along with global standards and a global approach, werecognise that there is a responsibility to helpdeveloping nations to meet these standards. ICAO hasthe experience and expertise to address the differingneeds of its contracting states. It has a mix ofmeasures including technology transfer, technicalsupport, financial assistance, and differingimplementation frameworks to deliver jump-shiftimprovements at the global level on issues like noisefor example.This issue will be among the top agenda items at theupcoming ICAO Triennial Assembly this autumn.Continued strong G-8 support for an ICAO-led globalapproach and accommodating developing nationswhile maintaining a level playing field for individualairlines will help to ensure the proactive conclusionsthat we must bring to COP16.ECONOMIC MEASURESThe industry has clearly identified a raft of carbonabatement measures within aviation. However, manygovernments seem more focused on collectingMain picture: Theaviation industry has aclear strategy mapped outto help clean up our skies AVIATION: ON COURSE FOR CARBON-NEUTRALGROWTH092AVIATIONTGIOVANNI BISIGNANI, DIRECTOR GENERAL & CEO, INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA)" "TO MEET OUR TARGETS AIRLINESWILL NEED TO COMMIT US$1.3TRILLION TO PURCHASING12,000 NEW AIRCRAFT BY 2020.THIS ALONE WILLBRING PASSENGERSTO THEIR DESTINATION WITH17 PER CENT FEWER EMISSIONS ?

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