16.1

Greenhouse Gases

Aviation’s supporters point out that flying is responsible for just 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Even so, the industry is in the process of making a remarkable turnaround, fostered by external regulation and internal determination.

The science is simple — every tonne of aviation fuel burned produces 3.15 tonnes of greenhouse gas. Aviation’s industry body, the International Air Transport Association (IATA; www. iata. org), has responded in a number of ways, including programs to reduce fuel burned and testing renewable biofuels. Encouraged by past success in cutting carbon dioxide emissions, IATA recently increased its former target to use 6% of renewable source fuel by 2020 to 10% by 2017.

16.2