last updated 15th June 05
by 4ecotips.com

Emissions will wipe out all savings

New research published today by Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland and carried out by the UK Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, shows that unless the EU and the UK Government takes action to reduce the growth in aviation emissions the industry's emissions will wipe out all the savings that other sectors of the economy could make.

The research also shows that carbon reduction targets will be almost impossible to meet if aviation emissions continue to grow at the rates analysed by the Tyndall Centre. It concludes that if aviation growth continues, it could take up the entire emissions budget for all sectors of the EU economy by 2040 and all sectors of the UK economy by 2037, if we are to keep within safe limits.

This would mean that schools, hospitals, commerce, houses and industry would not be able to release any emissions if the UK and the EU are to stay within environmental limits. Friends of the Earth described such a scenario as ‘absurd, unjust and unachievable”.

The research looked at growth trends in the aviation industry and calculated that emissions from the sector would rise rapidly between now and 2050, assuming these trends continued. It also took account of the way in which air transport markets mature and assumed that significant improvements in fuel efficiencies would be achieved.

The report says there will be “severe consequences for both the UK and the EU in terms of meeting their obligations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. if European governments continue to permit, or indeed promote, historically high levels of aviation growth.”

Friends of the Earth believes that if the EU allows the aviation sector to grow according to its forecasts, it will find it politically impossible to achieve the overall cut in CO2 emissions needed. Friends of the Earth is calling for the EU to introduce the economic measures and sector targets to achieve stabilisation of CO2 at 450ppm by 2050.