Friends of the Earth issued a press release on Tuesday about how two thirds of FTSE 100 and 250 firms in the UK are united in their disapproval of the government’s decision to leave out of the aviation and shipping industries from the carbon emission reduction targets. But the shipping industry seems to have gotten off lightly, as criticism has been primarily focused on aviation.
Environmentalists have been heavily targeting the airline industry recently, accusing them of being one the main culprits of climate change. Who can forget the infamous protest by 5 members of ‘Plane Stupid’ – a network of groups taking action against airport expansion and aviation’s climate impact – who scaled the Houses of Parliament on 27 February, 2008, in order to draw attention to the planned third runway at Heathrow airport?
But is the industry being unfairly targeted? The aviation industry has begun to fight back, and is trying to convince the public that they are indeed making substantial efforts to improve their green credentials. Actual figures reveal that aviation accounts for just 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Also, new planes such as the Airbus 380 and the Boeing 787 are said to generate 20% less carbon dioxide than similar planes just a decade ago.
However the industry may now be motivated to switch to more fuel-efficient technology because of higher oil prices, than genuine environmental concerns.
In any case, what is certain is that the aviation industry does not deserve special treatment and must abide to the same carbon reduction targets as everyone else. If the UK’s Climate Change law is to help bring about substantial environmental change, all industries need to be held accountable.
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