Airline group IATA says carbon target set for 2050AP, GENEVAThe world’s largest association of airlines on Monday said that it is aiming for the air transport industry to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while acknowledging that it will be a “huge challenge.”The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which has key offices in Geneva, said its general meeting in Boston had agreed on the target, a commitment that would line it up with the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming under 1.5°C above pre-industrial times. The industry appears to be counting heavily on a carbon-offset plan laid out by a UN organization on civil aviation, but suggests governments have a role to play, too. KLM chief executive officer Pieter Elbers speaks at the International Air Transport Association’s annual general meeting in Boston on Monday. Photo: Reuters“With collective efforts of the entire value chain and supportive government policies, aviation will achieve net zero emissions by 2050,” IATA director-general Willie Walsh said in a statement. One scenario foresees sustainable fuels accounting for nearly two-thirds of the roughly 1.8 gigatons of carbon that would need to be mitigated for airlines to reach net-zero emissions, Walsh said.

Source: Taipei Times October 05, 2021 15:56 UTC