Date published: 2006/09/27
The BBC says:
The global aviation industry must work together to tackle climate change, Sir Richard Branson has said.
Up to 25% of the world's aviation carbon dioxide emissions could be cut if airlines, airports and governments worked together, the Virgin boss said.
...
The aviation industry is responsible for around 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions.Sir Richard has written to airlines, airport operators and engine manufacturers stressing the need for the industry to increase the pace at which it changes its practices
The self-made tycoon told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that more efficient use of aircraft at the world's busiest airports could make a big difference.
He outlined a "starting grid system" he claims could save "billions of tonnes" of carbon dioxide and cut fuel consumption before take-off by up to 90%.
"Instead of sitting on planes with CO2 spewing out of those planes for anything up to 60 minutes to 90 minutes [while waiting for take-off] you would be towed by a small tug to the starting grid," he said.
"Then the pilot would turn on the engines ten minutes before take-off and then take off."
...
About 12% of global aviation CO2 emissions could be saved if air traffic control systems were more efficient, according to a study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) .
All pretty obvious stuff, but it takes someone important and pushy like Branson to constantly push at the bureaucrats to ever get anything done about anything. And he doesn't even mention the ridiculous waste of energy from planes constantly circling above Heathrow waiting for a slot to land. As noted, the airline industry does not actually contribute that much to carbon emissions at the moment, but the rate of increase is higher than for other contributors to emissions (as always pointed out by the so-called environmentalists), so some day the industry might contribute a significant amount, and any efficiency that can be gained before then will be worthwhile (of course having efficient airplanes and airports is a disaster for the so-called environmentalists, since it makes their anti-airplane harangues count for less and less).
_________________________________________________________
All material not included from other sources is copyright cambridge2000.com.
For further information or questions email: info [at] cambridge2000 [dot] com
(replace "[at]" with "@" and "[dot]" with ".").