Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Tony Tyler has stressed the need for aviation emissions to be addressed under a comprehensive global sectoral approach at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change summit to be held in Copenhagen in December.

Stressing that aviation is serious about environmental issues and is keen to be included in the successor to the existing Kyoto climate agreement, Tyler, who is also the current Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors, said there must be a “recognition that international aviation, as a global industry, is best tackled at a global level by a single global sectoral agreement, encompassing all air transport operators.”

Tyler’s remarks came in his keynote address this morning at Greener Skies, where key players from the regional and international aviation industry have gathered to demonstrate a collective commitment to the goal of a more sustainable future. Cathay Pacific is a sponsor of the conference as well as official airline.

“A more sustainable aviation industry has to be our starting “ and finishing “ point,” Tyler told delegates. “We continue to be strongly criticized by the environmental lobby who wrongly charge aviation with being the bogeyman of climate change."

"We also face more pressing and complex regulations from government policy makers who view aviation as a quick-fix target in the face of such criticism “and a cash cow for much-needed revenue as they themselves cope with the global downturn."

“But this industry is ready and willing to face up to its environmental impact. We are doing something about it now - and are committed to doing even more in the future. Copenhagen in December provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate that aviation is serious about reducing aviation’s carbon footprint.”

Tyler said that within the aviation industry there is now a consensus around the need to tackle carbon emissions at a global level.

Looking ahead to December, he said there were several key principles that need to be endorsed by those at the climate change summit, first and foremost being a need to see international aviation emissions addressed under a comprehensive global sectoral approach.

“After all, how can the emissions from an international flight be assigned to one country for measurement, quota and reduction purposes? National or regional solutions are just not practical. They will only lead to a patchwork of conflicting and overlapping regulations, leading to competitive distortion between carriers and a significant administrative burden. And higher fares for our customers."

“We would like an acknowledgement that our industry, through IATA, has committed to ambitious emissions reduction targets which should be enshrined in the Copenhagen outcome. In short, we are calling for aviation emissions to be included under a fair, pragmatic and environmentally effective global policy solution which is enforceable and easy to implement. The costs of implementation should be kept as low as possible. Targets should be fair, achievable and non-punitive."

“Most important, we want to be part of a scheme that avoids competitive distortion and the notion of so-called “carbon leakage” where emissions in one part of the world are effectively transferred to another by the poor design of policy instruments.” (EHL)