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  Straits Times 25 Aug 07
Airlines wrong target for environmentalists

THE 'Camp for Climate Action' finally left London's Heathrow Airport alone after more than a week of demonstrations and sit-ins.

The protesters, a curious mix of aged anarchists and some single-issue believers, threatened to paralyse one of the world's busiest airports to highlight the environmental damage caused by air travel.

The event provided a timely warning of the dangers that may face the air travel industry.

Ever since the problem of global warming rose to prominence, a small, hard- core group of environmentalists have singled out airline companies as one of the chief culprits for rising pollution levels.

On the whole, the airline industry has preferred to ignore them. But this may no longer be the best approach.

The protesters' claims need to be refuted vigorously. The industry is expanding rapidly: Boeing estimates that the global commercial fleet of jets will double by 2025.

Environmentalists claim that airline emissions are the fastest-growing pollution element and that, as well as greenhouse gases, the industry also contributes to rising noise levels.

At the moment, international commercial flights are not subjected to caps under the Kyoto Treaty, which seeks to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

And airlines do not pay fuel tax.

Environmentalists claim these are encouragements to further pollute. And they point to the fast rise in cheap air travel in Asia as a growing problem.

But the airline industry is fully aware of the challenge, and has already taken important steps to limit the damage.

The new Airbus A380 aircraft drastically reduces carbon emissions per passenger mile because it carries more customers on each flight. And Boeing's 787 aircraft is 20 per cent more efficient in its energy use than its predecessors.

Overall - as Mr Giovanni Bisignani, the boss of the International Air Transport Association, pointed out - aircraft noise has been cut by 75 per cent over the past 30 years and fuel efficiency increased by 70 per cent in the last four decades.

Of course, more needs to be done, but to suggest that the industry is oblivious remains dangerous nonsense.

Furthermore, the availability of cheap air transport has transformed our lives in many positive ways.

Europeans are now used to purchasing all sorts of fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers, regardless of the year's seasons.

Everything is flown in from other corners of the world, and all have contributed to rising living standards.
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